Volunteering roles in Bristol | Winter 2021/2022

Volunteering roles in Bristol | Winter 2021/2022

Posted on: 06 Dec 2021

Find out how you can support your community through the winter months.

 

The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically impacted everyone in Bristol and beyond, not least the hardworking people behind the city’s various charities, organisations and community groups looking to help those who need it most; whether that be adults, children or animals.

 

Since the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, the number of people in need of support after losing their jobs, their homes or being otherwise affected by the crisis has continued to grow.

 

Charitable projects across Bristol need volunteers ahead of what's certain to be a busy winter as they work to help people affected by homelessness, food poverty, addiction, and illness in the new year.

 

If you've got some spare time or you're looking to do some volunteering work within the community, read on for a rundown of some of the roles available this winter and apply where you can.

FareShare South West

 

FareShare South West, the region’s largest food redistribution charity (supplying food to over 350 frontline organisations) has recently launched FoodStock 2021: an emergency winter campaign to build a stockpile of ambient food with the funds and infrastructure to deliver it throughout a difficult winter.

 

FareShare South West is looking for volunteers to help them through the winter period and beyond, as they aim to deliver food for over 1 million meals for vulnerable people in December and January. 

 

They are especially looking for volunteers who can commit to multiple or regular shifts. Volunteers are the lifeblood of FareShare South West. 

 

Each week volunteers pick, pack and sort surplus food in their Bristol warehouses, and volunteer drivers deliver food out to over 400 charities every week. 

 

Whatever your skill level, there is a job for you amongst the FareShare family. The charity has strict covid safety guidelines in place throughout their warehouses, to keep everyone safe. To find out more about roles available and apply online, go to the FareShare website.

 

 

Suicide Prevention Bristol

 

Suicide Prevention Bristol (SPB), started in 2018, following a news report on a young lady who took her own and her newborn baby’s life. This news really touched the SPB founder, who decided to start the charity in response.

 

SPB offers a local patrol and a 24-hour, completely free National Suicide Prevention Helpline. The helpline is manned by volunteer call handlers who are experienced in mental health challenges and offer compassionate support to callers who are vulnerable, distressed, or wanting to end their lives.

 

SPB is a warm and welcoming community to be a part of, offering lots of support to both callers and volunteers. So, if you find helping others rewarding and would like to join SPB’s dedicated team, get in touch via email.

Children’s Hospice South West

 

CHSW is often on the look-out for volunteers to help them in its shops, as well as to assist with a variety of tasks in the local community.

 

CHSW runs three children’s hospices across the South West including Charlton Farm in Wraxall which currently supports more than 220 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Charlton Farm offers families resilience and emergency stays at the hospice, virtual contact, support at home, end-of-life care, and bereavement support.

 

Whatever your availability, CHSW would love to hear from you. It has a range of tasks that you could do locally - from dropping empty collection tins at venues, attending cheque presentations and supermarket collections.

 

It’s a fantastic opportunity to give your time to a cause that offers care and support to children and families from Bristol. CHSW also has shops in and around Bristol and is always on the lookout for people willing to spend time sorting donations and serving customers.

 

If you think this is something you, or someone you know, may be interested in then please visit the volunteering page of the website.

Bristol Animal Rescue Centre

 

Bristol Animal Rescue Centre (A.R.C) is the city’s largest and oldest animal charity, helping, healing, and homing over 7,000 vulnerable animals every year. 

 

Bristol A.R.C. are currently looking for volunteers in several areas including supermarket collections: if you’re happy to hold a Bristol A.R.C collection bucket at a local supermarket and chat to shoppers about what we do, please get in touch. 

 

Volunteer reception assistants are also needed to work alongside a small and friendly team to provide a warm welcome to all visits to Bristol A.R.C. To find out more and apply, get in touch with the team via email.

Bristol Food Union

 

Bristol Food Union began in 2020 as an unofficial collective of restaurants, food businesses and community organisations with the aim of helping Bristol’s independent food sector and keep the city fed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Since then, the collective has grown to become a non-profit social enterprise, with over 200 restaurants, bars, food producers and community projects becoming members.

 

Bristol Food Union are still in need of volunteers to help pack and deliver hampers in the run-up to Christmas - mainly the 4 days before Christmas Eve. A total of 700 community food hampers need to be delivered in this period (20-23rd). 

 

Anyone interested can sign up by completing the form on the Get Involved section of the website.

If you're aware of any charitable projects, community initiatives or food drives actively looking for volunteers in Bristol, please get in touch with us via email so we can add them to this article.


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Article by:

Stanley Gray

Stan is a born and bred Bristolian, recently graduated from studying English Literature in Sheffield. His passions are music and literature and he spends the majority of his time in venues all over the city, immersing himself in Bristol’s alternative music scene. A lifelong Bristol City fan, Stan’s Saturdays are spent watching his team both home and away.