Voluntary Action South West Surrey


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Canine Partners

Are you looking for a rewarding, fun, new challenge? Canine Partners is a registered charity that transforms the lives of disabled people by partnering them with assistance dogs. We are looking for caring homes in Berkshire area, to raise, socialise and train puppies and young dogs up to the age of 18 months before they go on to become life-changing canine partners. Ideally, within 45 minutes’ drive RG12. Find out more caninepartners.org.uk/puppy-parents

Mission Statement

We will change the lives of disabled people using expertly trained dogs to improve physical, emotional and social wellbeing. 

General Interests

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Care for Guildford - supporting your community

Care for Guildford - about us

Care for Guildford - we are a local award winning charity enabling people live independently with dignity. Through our of team of volunteers we

  • provide a reliable, caring service taking people to and from essential medical appointments who would otherwise struggle. Our clients often have no-one else to call on, cannot manage public transport or are unable to afford taxis. Many clients have complex health conditions and struggle to attend the appointments they desperately need without our help.

  • offer a shopping service that also provides friendly social contact to those living alone, allowing our clients to stay independent and remain in their home.

We are very flexible, no firm commitment is required, allowing us to work around your availability, however limited that maybe be.

If you can offer a friendly face, often at a difficult time in a client’s life - why not consider joining our amazing volunteer team. We promise you will make a real difference to our clients lives.

If any of the roles below are of interest, we would love to hear from you.

 

Web site: Care for Guildford                           

Email: volunteer@careforguildford.onmicrosoft.com

Volunteer with Care for Guildford

Volunteer Shopper

 

What we do…

At Care for Guildford, we operate a shopping service for local housebound residents, mostly older people, who are unable to shop for themselves,. This is only made possible thanks to our team of volunteer shoppers. During 2023, we helped an average of 13 clients living in and around the town, making over 600 shopping trips.

If you love helping others and want to make a difference in the lives of housebound people in your community, this role may suit you.

Volunteer Shopper Role Description

In this vital role you will, not only help clients stay independent and well by doing their shopping, but also enrich your own life with new experiences and friendships.

You will either go shopping for them or you may be asked to arrange and collect online orders and drop them off at their homes. You will be working with adults some of whom may be considered vulnerable, so a firm commitment to safeguarding is essential. You will need to agree to an enhanced DBS check for Adults with a request for a check against the barred lists. We will also need you to provide two references as part of our Safer Recruitment process.

A responsible and caring attitude is vital along with access to a vehicle.

You will receive mileage expenses based on the mileage that you travel from and back to your home at 45p per mile.

Location

The volunteering will take place within a 2 mile radius of Guildford town centre.

Volunteer Tasks and Responsibilities:

  • happy to be contacted by our shopping co-ordinator regarding shopping requests we have received - all during weekday office hours.

  • being courteous, friendly and professional at all times

  • agreeing the shopping list with Client

  • go shopping for a Client either in person or using online shopping facilities and drop the shopping off at the Clients home

  • letting Care for Guildford know, as soon as possible, if you can no longer undertake a shopping request

  • immediately feeding back any Safeguarding concerns to us

  • cash handling in some cases with Clients who wish to pay for their shopping in this way

  • keeping accurate records

  • completing accurate expense claims, submitted on a regular basis.

Time Commitment

The time commitment varies depending on the needs of the person you are matched with and your availability. Generally, we ask for a minimum of one hour per week.

Volunteer Specification

We ask that volunteers are:

  • caring, considerate, patient and understanding

  • flexible, reliable and helpful

  • confident in engaging with all kinds of people in a friendly manner

  • motivated to help people

  • mindful of infection control and good hygiene at all times

  • able to comply with all policies and procedures in every aspect of the role

Recruitment, Support and Training

All volunteers will be asked to:

  • participate in an interview with one of our Trustees

  • agree to a DBS check being carried out by us

  • participate in any training arranged by Care for Guildford

If you love shopping, want to help others, this role could be for you. Please click below to be taken to our online application form. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our team on 01483 566635

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Community Angels Befriending

Responding to loneliness in Guildford

 

Community Angels are trained befrienders who offer six months of weekly face-to-face support to adults of all ages in Guildford borough struggling with loneliness and/or social isolation. 

If you have a couple of free hours a week and enjoy listening and getting to know people, we'd love to hear from you. We provide training to get started (2 x 3 hours sessions), match you carefully with someone to befriend and provide ongoing support while you are volunteering with us.

Hear what our volunteers say on https://youtu.be/5MAb_UVTcc0

Community Angels is one of three projects run by Guildford Town Centre Chaplaincy.

Volunteer opportunities

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Farnham Community Farm

Mission Statement

Founded in 2008, Farnham Community Farm—formerly known as Farnham Local Food—is a community-run project powered by volunteer support. Our mission is to provide fresh, locally grown vegetables, produced to organic standards, for people in and around the Farnham area. We also offer volunteering opportunities in a peaceful, welcoming environment.

Here’s what we’re proud of:

  • We welcome volunteers of all ages and abilities—whether you’re coming as an individual, with support to learn new skills, or simply to enjoy the calm, open space of the farm.

  • We host schools, youth groups (including Cubs, Brownies, and Rainbows), and participants completing Duke of Edinburgh or school volunteering programmes.

  • No regular commitment is required—just join us when it suits you. For your first visit, please let us know by emailing: volunteering@farnhamcommunityfarm.com

Our vegetables are as fresh as it gets. Picked the very same day they’re collected, they travel virtually no food miles, helping preserve nutrients often lost in supermarket produce that’s been transported long distances. It’s better for you—and better for the planet.

As with all community projects we always need more help in all areas of our scheme.  If you think FCF is something you may enjoy being part of then come along and see us. All ages, all abilities, everyone is welcome.  We hope to see you there.

General Interests

Vegetable growing - help with all manner of growing tasks - something to suit all abilities!

 

                                                                                           

Our volunteers help with all manner of growing tasks; we have something to suit all abilities. Things our volunteers get up to in the field include:

Sowing seeds in the polytunnel
Potting on plants
Planting out seedlings in the field
Preparing the soil for planting, using a broad fork and rake
Weeding, tidying and maintaining the crops
Harvesting the crops (Wednesdays and Thursday morning); picking and digging up the veg required that week
Weighing out veg for each member's bag
Building infrastructure (e.g., a shed), creating structures for the children’s area, or repairing wooden items. 
Topping up vegetable beds with manure or compost

Tea and lunch breaks are an important part of the day, when we all sit together to chat and enjoy tea, coffee, and biscuits—provided free by the farm. 

We welcome volunteers Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm (or 4pm in the winter).  All abilities are welcome and we don't ask for any commitment, just come when it suits you. It is good to let us know you are coming on your first visit by sending an email to: volunteering@farnhamcommunityfarm.com 

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Farnham Swimming Baths Trust

Mission Statement

To benefit the inhabitants of Farnham and its neighbourhood by the provision and maintenance of an open space, including gardens.

Principal activity is the maintenance and enhancement of the Victoria Gardens in Farnham.

General Interests

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Guide Dogs

Mission Statement

We are Guide Dogs. And we’re here to help people with sight loss live the life they choose.

Guide Dogs is one of the UK’s leading sight loss charities. Our expert staff, volunteers, life-changing guide dogs and buddy dogs help people, both adults and children, with sight loss live the life they choose.

We simply couldn’t deliver our vital services without our incredible volunteers. Whether it’s raising a puppy or making a difference in your community, you can make a change that matters.

 

General Interests

Fundraiser

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.

 

Short Term Puppy Fosterer

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.

 

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Guildford Borough Council - Community Wellbeing Team

Mission Statement

Do you love gardening? Do you like helping those in your community? Then we have the perfect project for you!

 

We are looking for volunteers to help those in their local community, who are not able to upkeep their gardens. We are aiming to start the project in Merrow during the Springtime. This is a pilot project and in the future, we would love for it to be rolled out across all the wards of Guildford.

General Interests

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Guildford Seed Bank

Saving and sharing seed in the local area

Who are we?

We are a group of a dozen residents in the Guildford area with a passion for growing food and gardening in a sustainable and self-renewing way. The seed bank was set up to involve more local people in seed-saving for using in the next growing season. Each autumn, after the growing season we will pool and share our seed to get more people growing.

Guildford Seed Bank was formed in 2021, and this winter, we announced our arrival with a fantastic community seed swap event, attended by over 150 people. 

 

We are hoping to bring together people of all ages who are interested in growing their own food (or flowers) and strengthening biodiversity. We also need people to help with social media, and also tending to the Seed Bank beds up at Rosamund Community Garden, where we are growing various crops for seed this year, and of course help with fundraising ideas.

General Interests

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Halow project (Guildford)

Mission Statement

To make a difference

About us

The halow project is a growing community-based charity, situated in Guildford, Surrey. We support young people, aged 16+, with a learning disability on their journey into adult life.

The young people we work with want the opportunity to:

  • Build relationships
  • Become part of the community
  • Find meaningful employment
  • Have a home of their own

We believe that the young people we support have the right to be part of and respected in their communities and are entitled to a life they choose in ways which best suit them. halow is committed to developing creative opportunities and removing social barriers.

General Interests

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MacularSociety

Mission Statement

The Macular Society is the national charity for anyone affected by central vision loss. We have more than 21,000 members and, as the biggest membership group in the sight loss sector, we are the voice of people with macular conditions. We provide information and support to improve the lives of people with macular disease and to ensure no one has to face it alone. We have around 400 Macular Society support groups around the UK and beyond, run by volunteers. We have a helpline as well as befriending and counselling services and we offer one-to-one training in skills to make the best use of remaining vision. We campaign for better care and we fund research so that one day we can overcome macular disease.

 

 

General Interests

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Mary's Meals

Mission Statement

Our vision is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things. Working together with those who share our vision, we believe there is no good reason why this cannot be realised.

Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from many walks of life and different backgrounds. Our mission is to enable people to offer their money, goods, skills, time, or prayer, and through this involvement, provide the most effective help to those suffering the effects of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest communities.

Volunteer Roles

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Oxfam Books - Cranleigh

Mission Statement

For life without poverty, for everyone, for good. 

Oxfam saves lives in disasters. We get clean water running, help people earn a living, grow food and send children to school. We stand up for the rights of women everywhere. And we speak out against injustices that keep people poor. With your help we fight poverty now - and beat it for good. 

General Interests

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Police Care UK

Mission Statement

Police Care UK is a charity for serving and veteran police officers and staff, volunteers, and their families who have suffered any physical or psychological harm as a result of policing.

We are independent of the police service, and are funded entirely by donations and fundraising – we receive no money from government or forces for our work.

General Interests

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Rainbow Trust Children's Charity

Mission Statement

 

Rainbow Trust provides emotional and practical support for families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness.

 This support comes from Family Support Workers who perform a role most people couldn’t imagine.  They maintain a sense of normality for the family by helping with hospital trips, performing household duties, taking the siblings to school and in many cases providing care during the final stages of a child’s life, helping with funeral arrangements and bereavement support.

Rainbow Trust has nine care teams across England in Surrey, North East London and Essex, Central London, West London, County Durham, Cumbria, Manchester, Swindon and Southampton. Last year they supported 1,361 families.

Rainbow Trust's vision is that one day all terminally ill children and their families will have access to a Rainbow Trust Carer.

 

Volunteer Roles

Events Team Volunteer- London Marathon and other Sporting Events

Do you want to have fun, meet new people and help a local charity?

We are recruiting for volunteers to join our Events Team, helping Rainbow Trust by representing us at a wide range of fundraising and awareness events, such as the London Marathon and Royal Parks Run. 

Every day as an Events Volunteer is different - you get to pick and choose what events you would like to attend. 

We simply could not run the huge range of events we do without the support, energy and enthusiasm of our loyal volunteers, so why not join our team? This is a great opportunity for people who work or students who are not able to make a regular commitment.

We are particularly looking for volunteers to support our runners at the London Marathon on 21st April, cheering runners, welcoming, stewarding for example. We welcome volunteers from 18+.

 

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Restless Development

Who we are

We support the collective power of young people to solve the world's greatest challenges. 

General Interests

Schools Triathlon Volunteer

Come and support your local Knight Frank Schools Triathlon

On Sunday 19th May over 1000 local children will take part in the Schools Triathlon event at Cranleigh School. We are looking for local volunteers of all ages to support them as they swim, cycle and run to raise money for Restless Development and 100's of other local charities supported by participating schools. 

 

No specific skills or previous experience is needed, just an enthusiastic attitude to help the day run smoothly. Roles include - signing in all the excited triathletes, stewarding marshals based at the bike and run courses, or handing out medals at the finish line. 

 

Volunteers will receive free refreshments and a Volunteer t-shirt. 

Morning shifts are from 07:30-13:00, afternoon shifts are from 12:30-17:30 or you can volunteer for the full day.

 

Cranleigh School, Cranleigh - Sunday 19th May 2024

 

To sign up click on the fill in an application form button, leave your details and we will get back to you asap

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Ronald McDonald House Charities UK

General Interests

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RSPCA Guildford and Epsom Branch

Volunteering is fun, rewarding and plays a critical role in our work to improve animal welfare. Take a look at our latest opportunities on offer.

In particular we are keen to hear from potential fosterers. Fostering is a really rewarding way to help. For many animals being in a foster home is an essential step on their road to a forever home.

 

Mission Statement

The charitable objectives of the RSPCA are to promote kindness and prevent or suppress cruelty to animals by all lawful means.

 

The branch promotes animal welfare in the local area primarily through veterinary assistance, neutering and re-homing. We run a voucher scheme which assists local people with veterinary bills for treatment and neutering. It also helps to control dog and cat populations, thereby promoting responsible pet ownership.

 

The branch assists the RSPCA animal centres, mainly Millbrook and South Godstone, with re-homing unwanted and abused animals by home-visiting.  We also pay for veterinary treatment of stray animals and wildlife attended to by the Inspectorate in our branch area.

 

The RSPCA provides advice for owners on animal care. It also helps animals brought to us for rehoming because their owners are unable or unwilling to keep them. Ill treated or injured animals are cared for by the Society. The public benefits from knowing that we can intervene to assist animals in need.

 

We have a website to raise awareness of the activities of the branch and to help members get more involved. We provide volunteering opportunities for those who wish to support our work, including trusteeship, fundraising and home visiting. This benefits local people and companies by providing the possibility of doing work which is compassionate and rewarding.

 

We also have to fundraise to enable us to continue with our charitable work. The RSPCA receives no government or lottery funding.

General Interests

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Skillway

Mission Statement

Skillway trains young people in manual craft skills to give them a better future with ongoing employment opportunities. 

INSPIRE -  CREATE -   FULFIL  - SUCCEED

Skillway is based in the Old Chapels in Deanery Road, Godalming.  The young people are usually aged 14 to 16 or 17.  They come for one day per week, on recommendation of their school.

We have an excellent employed Workshop Manager and two employed tutors, but most skills are taught by volunteers who have specific craft skills, aided by other volunteers who can give skilled and/or pastoral support.

The main skills offered are Woodworking,   Metalwork & basic engineering,   Practical motor mechanics,  stone carving,   creative arts including jewellery making and working with glass.

 

 

Skillway Volunteering Opportunities

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The Bourne Parish

Mission Statement

We are a church in Farnham providing activities and opportunities for children and young people.

As a parish seeking to put faith into practice our vision is that we are 'Radiating God’s love: enriching lives and communities'.

We have a range of services and activities which take place across our three worship centres - St. Thomas-on-the Bourne Church, St Martin by the Green Church and Brambleton Hall.

General Interests

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Waverley Borough Council-Parks & CountrySide

General Interests

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Wintershall (Bramley)

Mission Statement

The Wintershall Plays bring the story of Jesus Christ to life today.

General Interests

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