Voluntary Action South West Surrey

Cherry Trees is a charity where children with complex disabilities visit to have amazing fun while their families have a short break from their caring responsibilities. We are looking for some friendly Children's Care Worker volunteers to join our team and have fun every time you visit. No two times will be the same; you could be having fun with a child in our soft play, out on a visit to a local farm or baking cookies!  It's rewarding and our teams are really friendly. 

We are looking for people to volunteer for all or part of the following shift times (min 4 hours). 

7am - 2pm, 2pm to 9pm, 10am - 6pm. 

We are open all year round and especially need help during school holidays and at weekends. All relevant training will be given. 

Get in touch today for a chat and come along for a no-obligation visit. If you decide to join us the role requires an Enhanced DBS check and provision of satisfactory references. We look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Could you help us prepare nutritious and tasty food for our children and care team?

 No previous or professional cooking experience is needed, just a joy of cooking and a desire to help. The slots we are looking to cover are listed below. You do not need to cover all of these, and we can break down or split down the slots too. Essentially, if this may be of interest, please get in touch.  

• Mondays, 14:00 -18:00  

• Every other Saturday, 10:00 -18:00 

• Every other Sunday, 10:00 – 18:00 

Could you help us by driving our minibus for school drop off or pick up?

We drop off or collect children from their school every morning and afternoon. Our care staff are there to take care of the children, so your focus will be on driving the bus. You do not need to have a special licence or take a further test. We do ask that you complete a 1 hour driving assessment but this is more about getting used to the vehicle. 

• Morning drop off: 08.30 – 09.30
• Afternoon pickup: 14:30 - 15:30

Could you help us our facilities in shape?

From cleaning windows, to cutting grass and hedges, we are looking for regular help to keep Cherry Trees clean, tidy and safe. There is no set pattern, but would ideally look for regularly support across the year to keep on top of the external areas. No previous experience is needed and we will provide all the tools and equipment needed.  

Without our volunteers and especially our Fundraising Groups we wouldn’t be able to support people living with sight loss live their lives actively, independently, and well. We are looking to build up the Fundraising Group in Guildford and really need several Deputy Group coordinators, to help organise the groups fundraising activities.

In this lead volunteer role, you would be a key contact for fundraising in the area, the role would involve speaking with local businesses about fundraising opportunities for example, at local shopping centres, supermarkets, local events; organise fundraising activities for example quiz nights, bowling nights, sponsored walks, murder mysteries or anything else you can think of. You would build good working relationships with other volunteers in your group and make sure fundraising policies and procedures are followed and records are maintained.

Guide Dogs would provide specific training for this role which includes Data Protection – GDPR training; Volunteer Coordinating training; and a Welcome Induction Event. You will also have a dedicated volunteer manager who can provide ongoing support; as well as being able to connect with a good network of other volunteers. We have some experienced volunteer Fundraising Group Coordinators who are only too happy to help with advice and support.

In return, you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting people with sight loss by raising funds for our life-changing guide dogs and other vital services. You’ll also gain experiences, memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

To apply for this role, click 'fill in an application'.

As a fundraising volunteer for Guide Dogs, you’ll be part of a team in your local area that shares stories about what we do and raises vital funds to help people with sight loss live the life they choose. From planning events and helping at collections, to placing our iconic guide dog collection boxes with local businesses – you’ll get to hear inspiring stories, meet incredible people and dogs, and see the difference you’re making firsthand.

We’ve got volunteer roles to suit all passions, skillsets and schedules. You can make the role your own and you only need to take on as much as works for you.

You’ll have the full support of your team, a dedicated Guide Dogs volunteer manager, and you’ll also receive any training you might need to help you in your role. We also cover all reasonable expenses related to your volunteering.

In return, you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting people with sight loss by raising funds for our life-changing guide dogs and other vital services. You’ll also gain experiences, memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

The Puppy Raiser role is a full-on volunteering role, whereby you look after a future life-changing puppy for a year, from when they are about 9 weeks old until they are around 18 months. You will play a huge role in the social development of the puppy, guiding him or her through training, socialisation, introduction of new environments and experiences, whilst providing a loving home. They are young puppies when they first arrive so all the usual toilet training, chewing etc does occur; but if you can cope with that it is such a rewarding role.

You will take your puppy along to monthly puppy classes where you will be supported with their training, we use a programme called Puppy Raising for Excellent Partnerships (PREP) which is based on positive reinforcement. You will be supported by other puppy raisers as well as a dedicated volunteer manager.

Ideally you will have enough time to invest in raising a puppy and attending to their needs, have someone at home who is physically able to handle large breed dogs (around 25 – 40 kg), access to a car so that you can get your puppy used to travelling, the agreement of your landlord to have a dog in the property if you rent your home and a safe secure area outside for your puppy to go to the toilet.

You’ll get the rewarding feeling of watching a mischievous puppy learn new training techniques to help them develop into a guide dog. The opportunity to participate in our bespoke world-class training programme which can help you train your own dogs or advance a future career in dog handling.

Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any expenses related to volunteering with us, including veterinary costs, food costs for the puppy and other materials needed for the puppy’s training.

As a Puppy Fosterer you will be providing a puppy with a loving home for a short period of time, which can vary from a couple of days to a couple of months, all whilst giving them the care and support they need for their training. You will help reinforce their training by supporting their social development, introduce them to new environments and experiences and follow the training guidance provided by our Puppy Development Advisors and the training programme we use called Puppy Raising for Excellent Partnerships (PREP) which is based on positive reinforcement.

Ideally you will have enough time to invest in looking after the puppy when they come to stay with you; have someone at home who is physically able to handle large breed dogs (around 25 – 40 kg); access to a car so that you can get your puppy used to travelling; the agreement of your landlord to have a dog in the property if you rent your home; and a safe secure area outside on gravel or concrete, for your puppy to go to the toilet.

You will get the satisfaction in knowing you are directly supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently and well by helping a puppy develop into a future life-changing guide dog. Our volunteers receive lots of support from their volunteer managers to help them implement the training modules with their puppy.

Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any expenses related to volunteering with us, including veterinary costs, food costs for the puppy and other materials needed for the puppy’s training.

Do you have 30 minutes either weekly or fortnightly to speak to an older person who is experiencing loneliness and isolation? If yes and like us you want to end isolation, we have older people waiting to be matched to volunteers like you! 

This role is flexible that can work around your own lifestyle and availability As a valued Re-engage Volunteer you'll receive training and support, as well as communication from the Re-engage team. 

We are looking for people who are friendly, good listening skills and patience and understanding. 

This is a rewarding role and if you feel you would like to be apart of the Re-engage volunteering community, we would love for you to apply! 

Just a couple of things...

• You will be over 18 
• We are unable to pay expenses for the phone calls, this is to keep our services free for older people.

Voluntary Action South West Surrey (VASWS) is an umbrella organisation for voluntary groups, community groups and charities working in Guildford and Waverley.  We help with support and development, provide information, training, funding & governance advice and with recruiting volunteers.

We are seeking a new Board members to join our vibrant team.

What skills do I need?

The Role: Trustee

We are inviting passionate individuals to join our Board as Trustees, contributing to our journey. Board meetings are your platform to influence, guide, and support VASWS’s strategic direction. Beyond governance, Trustees engage with the community, representing VASWS at local events and helping steer our mission forward.

Benefits Include:

• Making a lasting impact in the community.
• Expanding your network and forming new relationships.
• Developing skills in governance, leadership, and strategy.
• Broadening your personal and professional skill set.
• Reimbursement for reasonable expenses.

We are based in central Guildford and Board Meetings are held 4 times a year on a Tuesday at 4pm via Teams, plus an annual AGM and occasional sub group meetings.

If you are interested and would like to have a chat about the role and find out more about us please fill in the application form. 

We look forward to hearing from you!