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Volunteer
Volunteers are the life blood of foodbanks. Does the increase in poverty in the UK upset you? Are you keen to help local people who are experiencing difficult times? Your skills could be just what we need.
Volunteers are the driving force behind foodbanks. There are thousands of volunteers across the UK, helping The Trussell Trust Foodbank Network get emergency food to people in crisis. At Bradford North Foodbank, even though we have over fifty regular volunteers there are still opportunities. We want you to enjoy volunteering and there are lots of ways to get involved. Whatever role you choose, you will make a real difference to the life of local people in crisis.
Vacancies
Last updated 31st December 2019
If you are interested in volunteering for any of the roles below, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!
SHORT TERM VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
We don’t have any specific short-term opportunities just now. However, if you’re interested about being involved please do contact us for the latest situation.
LONG TERM / ONGOING VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Warehouse Volunteers: We need help to weigh, sort and store donated food before it’s made into food parcels for clients. All teams Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings have spaces. We also need some reserve volunteers to cover holidays and for additional sessions at peak times such as harvest. There is also a specialist post to coordinate dividing certain products (e.g. sugar, laundry powder, dry dog food) into smaller size packets and labeling them with essential information.
Volunteer Coordinator. This important role has expanded as our Foodbank expands and we now need a focal person to coordinate applications and training of our volunteers. The role involves contact with the 100+ volunteers who give their time regularly. You’ll need to be confident using email and meeting people, and work as part of our Management Team based at our Eccleshill office. The time commitment varies and is flexible, but will be approximately 6 hours per week. If you’re interested do contact us for more details.
Team Leader for Shipley Foodbank Centre: This centre has been open since 2015, but the original volunteer team leader changed jobs in the autumn of 2018, so was no longer available to volunteer. In the meantime we have had a temporary team leader, but he would prefer to pass the role on to someone else. This role involves overseeing all aspects of the foodbank centre’s operation: opening-up and locking-up the building, the foodstore, the kitchen and the main pop-up cafe area where we meet those coming for food parcels. We’re looking for someone who has had experience leading a volunteer team, some experience of 1-1 signposting support for people and, preferably, with some understanding of the Trussell Trust Foodbank Network and its model of operation. This centre is open twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays 4.00 – 6.00; volunteers arrive one hour before opening and stay to clear-up. As team leader you also be a member of the Bradford North Foodbank Management Team, which involves some evening meetings. If you think this rewarding role could be you then contact us for further details and a chance to visit.
Supermarket Liaison Officer: This role involves (1) keeping in contact with the Charity / Community staff leads at both large and small supermarkets in our postcode area; (2) organising food collection days at the large stores (i.e. recruiting volunteers, organising the rota, ensuring all equipment is available, supervising the day, organising food delivery back to the warehouse; (3) collection of donations from small supermarkets as required; occasional attendance at fundraisers or publicity events organised by the supermarkets on our behalf. It would be helpful if you are willing and able to drive a large van.
Supermarket Collection Volunteers: Several times per year, we go to a local supermarket for a day and ask customers if they would be willing to donate one or two items that we need to resupply our shelves. We hand out a shopping list as customers enter and collect any donations as they leave. Volunteers are needed to hand out shopping lists, look after the donation trolley (and say a big thank you), presort the food into crates and deliver the crates to our warehouse. New volunteers will be taught what to do. Most volunteers offer one or two hours of their time on a collection day and our supermarket liaison officer will make a rota to ensure the full day is covered. Our next Supermarket Collection Day booked for 2019 is: tbc
Join Our Waiting List for:
Foodbank Centre Volunteers: (1) Behind-the scene Volunteers: Either make up food parcels or help in the kitchen; (2) Welcome, befriending and signposting volunteers: Meet clients and help them relax. Have an informal chat with clients over a cup of tea/coffee, to discuss their situation and signpost to further support. Although we have full teams at our Foodbank Centres, vacancies arise regularly as we have over fifty people volunteering at Foodbank Centres.
Again, if you are interested in joining our waiting list for any of these volunteer roles please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!
Alternatively download our Volunteer Application Form and send it to us at volunteer@bradfordnorth.foodbank.org.uk .
We look forward to hearing from you!