Voluntary Action South West Surrey

CAFOD is looking for people to visit Catholic Schools to deliver a lively presentation about its work and mission.  Volunteers can specialise in either Primary or Secondary schools.

CAFOD will provide support and training and will supply suitable materials to deliver the presentations.

The opportunity is during school hours with times to suit the school and the volunteer. On average one visit a month is required.

The work also involves contacting the allocated schools, negotiating arrangements for visits, and following up with any necessary correspondence.

For further information please click on the Sign up button.

Treasurer

What will you do?

● complete an introduction for your role
● maintain an awareness of how CASWS is operating
● prepare Finance papers for board meetings
● keep the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities
● explain, guide and advise the board on the key assumptions and financial implications 
of the CASWS budgets, operational and strategic plans 
● monitor the organisation’s income and expenditure position and in conjunction with 
the Chief Officer, Business Support Manager and Service Finance and People Manager 
present accessible reports at least quarterly to ensure board members understand 
the accounts and implications
● understand the accounting procedures and key internal controls to be able to assure 
the board that CASWS's financial integrity is sound
● ensure that the organisation has an appropriate reserves policy and a realistic budget 
that meets the services’ needs
● read other papers for board meetings and attend 4-6 meetings per year 
● take an active discussion during board meetings and work with other trustees to: 
- set policy and strategy direction, set targets and evaluate the performance of CASWS
- ensure that all the finances and supporting financial control systems of CASWS are in 
order including that full financial records are kept for all transactions, that money is 
only spent for the purpose given, and that proper financial controls are in place to 
safeguard the organisation’s resources
- monitor the financial position of CASWS ensuring that it operates within its means and 
objectives, ensuring that there are clear lines of accountability for day to day financial 
management
● present accounts at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in an accessible way for 
volunteers and staff
● liaise with and oversee the activities of the external auditor including the preparation 
of the annual reportensure that annual accounts are prepared in compliance with SORP (Statement of 
Recommended Practice) Accounting for Charities and submitted by the deadline to 
the Charity Commission and/or Registrar of Companies, and make arrangements for 
them to be audited or independently examined as required
● lead the Finance Sub-Committee meetings to discuss finances in more detail
● help define and monitor investment strategies 
● supporting any paid finance officer to explain, guide and advise CASWS on the 
approval of budgets, accounts and financial statements with the organisation’s 
framework
● work with CASWS staff, such as the Chief Officer or Business Support Manager to give 
information and advice on financial matters
● work together with other trustees or staff within CASWS to further the strategic 
objectives of CASWS
What’s in it for you?
● make a positive impact for people in your local area by ensuring the CASWS is 
sustainable and meeting the needs of the community
● meet people and build relationships with trustees, staff and other volunteers
● build on your governance, leadership and strategy skills
● increase your employability
And we’ll reimburse expenses too.
What do you need to have?
You’ll need to:
● understand and accept the responsibilities and liabilities as trustees
● have financial qualifications or experience
● some knowledge or experience of charity finances, fundraising, financial 
consequences and pension schemes
● have experience of Accountancy software, ideally Quickbooks
● be non-judgmental and respect views, values and cultures that are different to your 
own
● have good listening, verbal and written communication skills
● be able to exercise good independent judgment and if necessary to make difficult 
recommendations
● excellent good numeracy skills to understand accounts

be able to explain complex financial information in an accessible way
● be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, 
including confidentiality and data protection
● be willing to undertake training in your role
How much time do you need to give?
Trustee boards usually meet in the afternoons or evenings and you’ll likely need to 
give approximately 15-20 hours per month and you may need to attend other 
meetings if you’re involved in specific projects, or meet with volunteers and staff 
occasionally within CASWS. We can be flexible about the time spent and how often 
you volunteer so come and talk to us. 
Valuing inclusion
Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we particularly welcome 
applications from disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, 
LGBT+ and non-binary people, and people from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) 
communities.
If you are interested in becoming a trustee and would like to discuss flexibility around 
location, time, ‘what you will do’ and how we can support you please contact us.

Please fill in the on-line Application form.

We will soon begin our next recruitment cycle for Adviser and Receptionist volunteer roles across our offices, for the following:

• Reception Volunteer
• Initial Contact Adviser
• General Adviser

We are looking for a commitment of 1 day (or 2 half days) per week, for a minimum of 12 months.

To find out more and to read the role descriptions, please visit our website: https://casws.org.uk/support-us/volunteer/

Are you a visionary leader with a passion for community service?

We are seeking a new chair of the board to help shape the future of our vital organisation.

Every year, we support around 8,500 clients across Guildford and Waverley providing free, confidential, and impartial advice on issues like debt, housing, benefits, and employment.

Backed by a dedicated team of 38 staff, 94 volunteers, and 8 trustees, we also advocate for lasting policy change both locally and nationally.

Citizens Advice South West Surrey was formed from the merger of two successful local Citizens Advice and is now in a strong position to move forward.

As our outgoing chair steps down after five impactful years, we are looking for someone to lead us forward with strategic insight, commitment to our values, and a deep belief in community service.

As chair, you will:

• Lead the board of trustees in setting the strategic direction of the charity.
• Work closely with our chief officer, offering insight, support and challenge.
• Champion our purpose, strengthen local relationships and help diversify funding.
• Contribute to the delivery of our annual report and strategic business plan.

We’re looking for someone who

• Has senior leadership or board experience (charity governance a plus)
• Understands the value of community services in tackling inequality.
• Brings enthusiasm, ideas, and a collaborative approach to leadership.

We actively welcome applications from women, people of colour and other underrepresented groups, and are committed to building a Board that truly reflects the people we serve.

If you would like to apply for this role or would like more information please contact us.

You can do this by filling in the on-line application form here, on the right-hand side.

We are currently six trustees, however we have an age bias towards seniority and we need some 'younger blood' on the board. We are looking for someone who has had experience, or is currently working 'on the coal face' with young people from a disadvantage cohort. Experience of governance is a bonus but not essential, as well as publicity/fundraising skills. We are a diverse range of individuals on the board with differing skill sets and experience. Our trustee meetings are vibrant, dynamic with culture of respect. Everyone has the opportunity to have their voice heard.

Obligations of the role:
We meet three times a year (usually Monday evenings) for full trustee meetings. During these meetings we discuss important things like: charity cash flow, risks, charity activities and fundraising events. We also review and decide/approve recent applications for funding. Also, trustees can volunteer to help out at fundraising events if they are available, or with efforts to publicise the charity and/or events, although this is not essential. I believe right person could find the role very rewarding.

What you’ll be doing
As a Big Brother Big Sister volunteer, you’ll be matched with a child or young person and spend regular time together building a positive, trusted relationship.

This is a long-term mentoring role where your time, consistency and encouragement can have a lasting impact. It’s not about doing anything extraordinary — it’s about showing up, spending time together, and helping a young person build confidence, try new experiences, and feel valued.

What this might look like:

• Meeting regularly (around an hour a week)
• Doing simple activities together — going for a walk, playing games, or trying something new
• Being a consistent, positive role model
• Building trust over time through conversation and shared experiences

What we’re looking for:

• Someone reliable and able to commit long-term
• Friendly, patient and approachable
• Able to build a positive, supportive relationship with a young person
• Comfortable working within boundaries and guidance from staff

What you’ll get from it:

• The chance to make a real, lasting difference in a young person’s life
• A meaningful one-to-one connection
• Full training and ongoing support from our team

Important to know:

• Full training will be provided
• An enhanced DBS check is required for this role
• We’ll support you every step of the way

What you’ll be doing
The Welcome Desk is the first point of contact for people coming into our service, so this role is all about creating a friendly, calm and organised environment from the moment someone arrives.

You’ll help people feel at ease, understand what’s available, and make sure everything runs smoothly at the front of house.

Tasks might include:

• Welcoming people as they arrive and signing them in
• Checking what support they might need that day
• Answering phone calls and passing on messages
• Supporting with basic admin tasks
• Helping create a calm and approachable front-of-house atmosphere

What we’re looking for:

• Someone warm, approachable and organised
• Comfortable talking to a range of people
• Able to stay calm if it gets busy
• Basic confidence with admin tasks (we’ll support you)

What you’ll get from it:

• Being a key part of how people experience the service
• Lots of varied interaction with people
• The chance to make people feel welcome and supported from the start

What you’ll be doing
Our allotment is a calm, positive space where people can get outdoors, learn new skills, and take a break from day-to-day pressures. As an Allotment Support Volunteer, you’ll help create and maintain this space alongside staff and the people who use our services.

It’s a relaxed, hands-on role with plenty of opportunity for conversation and connection.

Tasks might include:

• Supporting with general gardening tasks (planting, weeding, watering)
• Helping maintain a tidy and welcoming allotment space
• Encouraging and working alongside service users
• Sharing knowledge or learning together — no expertise needed
• Having a chat while you work — it’s just as important as the task

What we’re looking for:

• Someone who enjoys being outdoors
• Happy to get involved in practical tasks
• Friendly and encouraging with others
• No gardening experience needed — just a willingness to join in

What you’ll get from it:

• Time outdoors in a relaxed environment
• The chance to support others in a positive, hands-on way
• Being part of something that grows (literally and personally)

What you’ll be doing
As an Arts & Crafts Volunteer, you’ll help create a space where people can express themselves, try something new, and enjoy being creative.

You don’t need to be an expert — it’s about encouraging participation, sharing ideas, and helping people feel comfortable having a go.

Tasks might include:

• Supporting arts and crafts activities alongside staff
• Setting up and tidying away materials
• Chatting and encouraging people to get involved
• Sharing simple creative ideas or skills
• Helping create a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere

What we’re looking for:

• Someone creative or happy to get involved in creative activities
• Friendly, patient and encouraging
• Comfortable supporting people at their own pace
• No formal experience needed

What you’ll get from it:

• A chance to be creative and have fun
• Meaningful interaction with the people we support
• Seeing the positive impact of creativity on wellbeing

What you’ll be doing
Our kitchen is at the heart of what we do. As a Kitchen Helper, you’ll support the team in preparing simple meals, making drinks, and keeping the space clean and welcoming.

This role is about more than just food — it’s about creating a space where people feel comfortable, valued and looked after.

Tasks might include:

• Supporting with basic meal prep
• Making teas and coffees for people using the service
• Keeping the kitchen clean and tidy
• Washing up and maintaining hygiene standards
• Chatting with people while you work — a friendly face goes a long way

What we’re looking for:

• Someone friendly and approachable
• Happy to get stuck in and work as part of a team
• Comfortable in a busy environment at times
• No experience needed — just a willingness to learn

What you’ll get from it:

• A chance to be part of a supportive, welcoming team
• Real connection with the people who use our services
• The opportunity to make a visible difference each day

What you’ll be doing
As a Social Volunteer, your role is all about connection. You’ll spend time with people who use our services — chatting, playing games, and helping create a relaxed and positive environment.

For many people, having someone to talk to or share time with can make a huge difference.

Tasks might include:

• Having conversations over tea or coffee
• Playing games, doing puzzles, or joining in activities
• Supporting people with small tasks (forms, phone calls, etc.)
• Encouraging people to get involved in groups or activities
• Simply being present, friendly and approachable

What we’re looking for:

• Someone kind, patient and easy to talk to
• Comfortable meeting people from different backgrounds
• Able to listen without judgement
• No specialist experience needed — just being yourself is enough

What you’ll get from it:

• Meaningful one-to-one connection
• Insight into people’s lives and experiences
• A chance to make a real difference just by showing up

Food Bank Delivery Driver

    Commitment – 2-4 shifts per month, 1-2 hours per shift

Vacancies for –

• 2 drivers on Tuesdays 1 – 2.30pm
• 1 driver on Wednesdays 9:15 – 11 am
• 3 drivers on Fridays 4:45 – 6:30 pm
• Plus additional shifts to cover high demand in December

Minimum term – 6 months - however if you can only help in the short term in December, we would really appreciate it
Location – St Clare’s Church, Park Barn

Summary
As a volunteer driver you will support our work of helping those in food crisis in our community. You will be responsible for collecting food parcels from our base at St Clare’s and delivering them to clients’ homes in Guildford and surrounding villages. You will be a compassionate and reliable individual who wants to make a difference in our community.

Responsibilities
     ● Commit to your allocated shifts and where possible, step in if a call for additional support is made (during particularly busy periods)
     ● Delivery of food parcels from the food bank to clients’ homes, using your own car.
     ● Load and unload parcels with care and ensure the correct parcels are delivered, in good condition.
     ● Provide a friendly and respectful face of the food bank.
     ● Provide each client with brief information on our signposting tool and any fuel support that is appropriate to their situation.
     ● Maintain client confidentiality within the food bank
     ● Update your Team Leader with the status of each parcel and any follow up needed with each client.

Essential for the role

    ● UK driving licence
    ● Ability to lift and carry food parcels up to 10kg
    ● Respectful, compassionate and sensitive to the needs of vulnerable people
    ● Punctual and reliable
    ● Must pass Basic DBS check
    ● Knowledge of the local area is helpful but not essential.

Fuel team member

Commitment – 1-2 shifts per month, up to 6 hours, spread over the first couple of days of the week.

Vacancies for –

         1 fuel team member

Volunteer role – unpaid
Minimum term – 6 months
Location – Your home

Summary
As a member of our fuel team you will ensure that food bank clients who have prepayment meters are referred for a fuel voucher, where needed, given by our partner organisation the Fuel Bank Foundation. You will ensure our tracking spreadsheets are kept up to date and will contact clients about their fuel top ups by phone and text (using a food bank phone) to ensure that we have accurate information about their situation.

Key responsibilities
     ● Keep up to date with training on fuel processes internally and with Fuel Bank Foundation
     ● Follow fuel team processes and flag any client issues to the food bank administration team
     ● Speak to clients with respect and without judgement
     ● Answer fuel team emails and "fuel phone" when on shift

Essential for the role
      ● Friendly, approachable and empathetic manner
      ● Good listening skills with the ability to communicate respectfully

      ● Non-judgemental attitude and awareness of the challenges clients may be facing
      ● Access at home to a desktop or laptop
      ● Confident using apps and spreadsheets for tracking client data
      ● Good at problem solving
      ● Able to follow a standard process
      ● Work in an organised way
      ● Reliable and enjoy working as part of a team
      ● Willingness to attend meetings with the fuel team, either in person or online.
      ● Ability to remain calm in sometimes emotionally charged situations.
      ● Dedicated to working to support our Charity’s mission and Christian values
      ● Able to drive to meet other volunteers - we have a shared phone that needs passing on as the rota changes

Desirable

      Live within easy reach of the central Guildford area

Food Bank Cafe Listener

Commitment – 2-4 shifts per month, 1-2 hours per shift

Vacancies for –

           2 cafe listeners on Fridays 4:45 – 6:45 pm

Volunteer role – unpaid
Minimum term – 6 months
Location – St Clare’s Church, Park Barn

Summary
As a cafe listener you will support our work of helping those in food crisis in our community. You will provide a warm and friendly welcome for individuals and families (clients) collecting their food parcels from the food bank. Your role will be to offer refreshments, listen without judgement, complete referral forms for fuel support, help signpost clients to relevant support services and to offer prayer.

Key responsibilities

• Greet clients warmly when they arrive to collect their food parcels Offer drinks and a listening ear.
• Provide a non-judgemental listening ear, for those who wish to talk, so clients feel valued.
• Identify the most appropriate fuel support and complete the relevant fuel referral form.
• Provide signposting information, aided by our online signposting tool.
• Bring any queries that you cannot answer to the session team leader.
• Ask clients if they have anything that they would like the team prayer for at the end of the session.
• Maintain client confidentiality within the food bank setting.
• Follow the food bank safeguarding policy at all times.

Essential for the role

• Friendly, approachable and empathetic manner.
• Good listening skills with the ability to communicate respectfully.
• Non-judgemental attitude and awareness of the challenges clients may be facing.
• Reliability and the ability to work as part of a team.
• Willingness to attend training outside of normal food bank hours (no more than once per term).
• Ability to remain calm in sometimes emotionally charged situations.
• Dedicated to working to support our Charity’s mission and Christian values.

Food Bank Team Leader

Commitment – 2-3 shifts per month, 

• 3-4 hours per shift
• 1-2 hrs prep day before shift and 
• 30-45 mins after the session finishes
• 2 hour Team Leader meeting every 2-3 months

Vacancies for – 2 Team Leaders - Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday

Volunteer role – unpaid

Minimum term – 6 months - following training of 3-4 sessions

Location – St Clare’s Church, Park Barn

Summary

As a Team Leader you are responsible for running a client session. You will be well organised, a clear communicator and able to keep calm whilst coping with multiple demands on your time during a session. You will be the main point of contact between the Food Bank Manager and volunteers.

Key responsibilities

• keeping up to date with recent food bank communications 
• preparing packing sheets for your upcoming client session
• unlocking and securing the building at the start and end of the client session
• ensuring you have the correct number of volunteers in relation to expected client numbers
• ensuring all team members are clear on what is expected of them during the session and providing them with recent food bank updates with respect to packing and talking to clients
• keeping track of parcels being packed, including relevant dietary requirements. 
• monitoring clients arriving and following up with the Food Bank Administrator when queries arise during the session.
• ensuring all cafe listeners have the opportunity to download what they have heard and ensuring that any specific needs are offered in prayer (prayer can be done by another member of the team; the download and prayer are key to our work)
• sending in fuel voucher and fuel advice referral forms and completing a session report following the closure of your session.
• feeding back suggested areas for improvement in the way we work
• maintaining client confidentiality within the food bank setting.
• following the food bank safeguarding policy at all times.

Essential for the role

• Well organised
• Confident with email and Whatsapp communication and accessing information on spreadsheets
• Friendly, approachable and empathetic manner
• Good listening skills with the ability to communicate respectfully
• Non-judgemental attitude and awareness of the challenges clients may be facing
• Reliability and the ability to work as part of a team
• Willingness to attend training outside of normal food bank hours (no more than once per term)
• Ability to remain calm in sometimes emotionally charged situations
• Dedicated to working to support our Charity’s mission and Christian values

Food Bank Sort Team member

Commitment – 2-4 shifts per month, 3-4 hours per shift

Vacancies for –

• 3 team members Monday 8.30 - 11.30

• Plus additional and longer shifts to cover high level of donations from late Sept - Dec

Minimum term – 6 months 

Location – St Clare’s Church, Park Barn

Summary

As part of a friendly, committed team, you will support our work of helping those in food crisis in our community, . You will be responsible for setting up and helping with the smooth running of the Monday sort session. You will be a compassionate and reliable individual who wants to make a difference in our community.

Responsibilities

• Commit to your allocated shifts and where possible, step in if a call for additional support is made (during particularly busy periods)

• Arrive promptly to help set up for the weekly donation sort

• Help with unloading supermarket deliveries and moving them into food bank stock

• Follow safe lifting practices to move crates of food to ensure date control of food products

• Greet donors who deliver donations to us

• Be proactive in ensuring all tasks are completed before leaving at the end of your shift.

• Provide a friendly and respectful face of the food bank.

Essential for the role

• Ability to lift and carry crates of approx 10kg
• Commitment to following safe lifting procedures
• Ability to work as part of a team, under the direction of a team leader.
• Punctual, reliable and practical