Demelza

South East London – Catering Volunteer

Join our warm and welcoming Catering team at Demelza’s Eltham hospice and help us bring comfort and joy to children and families through nourishing meals and friendly support.

When we need you:

Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (10.30am-1.00pm) – flexibility with timings and duration

What you’ll do:

• Washing up
• Support the catering team with food preparation
• Support family dining experiences
• Help with kitchen clean-up and organisation

No experience needed – full training provided! Your enthusiasm and willingness to help are what matter most.

What you’ll gain:

• New friendships and a sense of community
• Valuable skills and rewarding experiences
• The chance to make a real impact for children with serious or life-limiting conditions

Why volunteer with Demelza?

Demelza provides specialist care 24/7, 365 days a year, children and families across Kent, South East London, and East Sussex. Our volunteers are the heart of our work - over 1,000 people already give their time, energy, and compassion to help us deliver exceptional care.

Join us and be part of something truly special.

Estates Department Volunteers

Role Summary:

We are seeking dedicated and enthusiastic Volunteers to join our very busy Estates Team, who are responsible for maintaining and operating all of the Demelza sites, keeping them clean, safe and well maintained. 

Our sites:

Sittingbourne, Kent

Eltham, SE London

St Leonards, East Sussex

30 shops throughout the South East

Distribution Centre in Aylesford, Kent

If you have previous maintenance experience and can spare a few hours a week to support our friendly team in our Estates Department, please apply or get in contact. Whatever your skills and experience, we will be able to put these to good use. This Volunteer position offers a unique chance to develop your skills while making a positive impact. Each day brings different challenges – from carpentry to plumbing, painting and decorating to changing locks. All levels of skill are appreciated, although some tasks such as electrical repairs will need further qualifications.

Whether you can lend a hand at one of our hospices or are able to help our Estates Trading Team, we would love to hear from you.

Duties could include:

• Helping with practical tasks
• General maintenance and repairs
• Painting and decorating
• Lifting and carrying

Experience:

• General site knowledge is useful, which could include building, plumbing, electrical, construction, mechanical, drainage.
• Previous experience in engineering, site maintenance or project management is advantageous.

What you gain from volunteering:

• A chance to meet new people, make new friends and dedicate yourself to a rewarding role
• The chance to develop new skills, take on new challenges and enjoy new experiences
• Training and support
• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Demelza and support children with terminal conditions and their loved ones

VOLUNTEER ROLE: Housekeeping Volunteer

REPORTS TO: Housekeeping Manager

LOCATION: Demelza Kent or South East London

HOURS/DAYS:  Wednesday and Friday mornings are particularly required

PURPOSE OF ROLE:

To support the housekeeping team in maintaining a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for our children and families, visitors, staff and volunteers.

Volunteers play a vital role in enhancing the comfort and wellbeing of everyone  in the facility.

ROLE/DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist with light cleaning duties such as wiping surfaces, tidying communal areas, and restocking supplies.
• Help with laundry tasks (folding, sorting, delivering clean linen).
• Support the team in preparing rooms for new arrivals.
• Ensure high standards of hygiene are maintained.
• Report any maintenance or cleanliness issues to staff.
• Engage with children and visitors in a friendly and respectful manner.

SKILLS & QUALITIES:

• Reliable and punctual.
• Friendly and approachable.
• Able to follow instructions and work as part of a team.
• Respectful of confidentiality and sensitive environments.
• Physically able to carry out light cleaning tasks.
• A friendly, approachable, and compassionate nature
• Respectful of confidentiality and sensitive to the needs of children and families in a hospice setting

TIME COMMITMENT:

• Ideally, a regular weekly or fortnightly shift of 3-4 hours.
• Flexible scheduling available to suit volunteer availability.
• Minimum commitment of 3 months preferred.

TRAINING AND SUPPORT:

You will be given a Volunteer Handbook, which covers mandatory training such as Moving & Handling, Fire Training, Data Protection and Safeguarding.  In addition, you will complete an induction with your line manager. Specific, specialist training will be provided where appropriate/relevant to the area you will be assigned to. Ongoing support is available to volunteers through their line manager and the Voluntary Services team. All volunteers must maintain their mandatory training to continue in their role.

UNIFORM/DRESS CODE REQUIREMENTS:

• A Demelza polo shirt will be provided
• Closed-toe, non-slip footwear
• Any necessary protective clothing (e.g. aprons) will be provided
• ID badge is provided and must be worn at all times

OUR VALUES & BEHAVIOURS:

Volunteers are expected to demonstrate and actively align to our organisational values and behaviours. The full values and behaviours documents can be found on the Demelza intranet.

SAFEGUARDING AND FREDIE:

Demelza is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Demelza also values FREDIE principles (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement) and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Some volunteering roles will require an enhanced DBS check - this does not mean that you cannot volunteer for us if you have a previous conviction. Demelza conforms to all aspects of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Housekeeping Volunteers

Demelza Hospice at Eltham, London

We are looking for additional volunteers to join our friendly housekeeping team at our hospice in Eltham, SE London. The housekeeping department are responsible for keeping the hospice clean, tidy, bright and welcoming for the children and families in our care.

We particularly need volunteers on a Saturday and a Wednesday.

We require additional support and help and any time you can give is appreciated so much. Our busiest times are 9am to midday, and we are open 7 days a week. If you can spare a few hours a week to be part of this very important team, we would love to hear from you.

Tasks include:

General tidying and cleaning: dusting and vacuuming, ironing, cleaning the lounge areas, bedrooms and bathrooms.

What you will gain from volunteering:

• A chance to meet new people and make new friends
• The time to develop new skills, take on new challenges and enjoy new experiences
• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Demelza and support children with serious or life-limiting conditions and their families

Supporter Services Department

Telephone Thanking Administrator

Based in our offices at our Kent Hospice in Bobbing, Sittingbourne, we are looking for assistance in our friendly Supporter Services Department. The main role is to telephone our Demelza supporters who have recently donated, thanking them for their support and building a relationship with them.

Requirements for the role:

• Confident and professional telephone manner, making outbound calls to Supporters
• Ability to record call conversations and feedback to the Supporter Services Manager
• Knowledge of MS Office
• Experience in using databases is an advantage

Hours and days are flexible, we appreciate any time that is able to be given. School hours are acceptable. Ideally we would suggest 9.30 am - 2.30 pm once or twice a week, however this is flexible.

Full training is given on the process around making and logging the calls, using Excel, as well as guidance on how to conduct the calls, and information on current news and activities at Demelza.

If you are a cheerful, positive person and are able to offer some time, we would be grateful. Please apply online to start with or contact us if you would like further information about volunteering.

What will you gain from volunteering

• A chance to meet new people, make new friends and dedicate yourself to a rewarding role
• Developing new skills, taking on new challenges and enjoying new experiences
• Feel part of a special team, with the knowledge that you are making a difference

• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Demelza and learn about our services we provide to support our extraordinary children with complex medical conditions and their loved ones