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Blackthorn Trust couldn’t operate without our amazing volunteers who work in a variety of customer service and programme-support roles. Our current volunteer opportunities are detailed below.
Skills required
  • Good communication skills to be able to talk to and interact with customers, staff, other volunteers and service users (vulnerable adults, many of whom have mental health conditions).
  • Ability to follow instructions and work unsupervised (after a short period of training).
  • Be a good team player who is aware of the specific role they have as an individual and how it fits into the wider team.
  • Happy working in a busy and varied setting.
  • Relevant experience preferred but not is essential.
  • DBS checks are required for all Blackthorn Trust’s volunteers and staff.
  • All potential volunteers will be vetted during an initial face-to-face meeting to determine whether they are a good fit for the role and the team they would be joining.
  • All our volunteers must aged 18 or over.

What’s in it for you

  • Support a small charity and ‘give back’ to people in the local community.
  • Be part of a friendly and supportive team.
  • Know you are helping to make a difference to the hundreds of people who access Blackthorn Trust’s programmes each year.
Our current volunteering opportunities are:

Café volunteers are needed to work serving customers and/or in the kitchen. Our busy café is open weekdays 10am to 3pm, providing a range of hot meals, cakes and drinks for staff, service users and the public. DBS checks are required for all Blackthorn Trust’s volunteers and staff.

Volunteers work either front of house (assisting service users, taking customers’ orders, serving food and drinks, taking payments etc.) or in the kitchen (assisting service users, washing up, helping prepare food, taking food to customers as part of the café’s table service etc.). Those volunteers working front of house are required to work unsupervised if the Café Manager is working in the kitchen or is absent.

Time commitment: A minimum of 1 weekday per week (9.45am to 3.15pm). We most urgently need volunteers on Fridays.

Charity Shop volunteers are needed to work serving customers and sorting donations. Our charity shop is open weekdays 10am to 3pm. DBS checks are required for all Blackthorn Trust’s volunteers and staff.

Volunteers work both front of house (assisting customers, taking payments, tidying stock etc.) and sorting/pricing donations. There is no charity shop manager so volunteers are required to work unsupervised as part of a team.

Time commitment: A minimum of 1 weekday per week (9.50am to 3.10pm). We most urgently need volunteers on Fridays.

Volunteers are needed to work helping with or cooking workshops for people attending our Mental Health and Long-Term Health Conditions programmes. DBS checks are required for all Blackthorn Trust’s volunteers and staff.

Cooking workshop volunteers are required to support service users to complete tasks set by the Workshop Leader.

Time commitment: A minimum of 1/2 day per week. We need volunteers on Thursdays (10am – 1pm).

Plant nursery volunteers are needed to work helping with plant nursery workshops for people attending our Mental Health and Long-Term Health Conditions programme. DBS checks are required for all Blackthorn Trust’s volunteers and staff.

Volunteers work in our plant nursery (we have two large greenhouses – workshops take place under an outside shelter in hot weather). Plant Nursery volunteers are required to work unsupervised when the Garden Workshop Leader is in meetings or is absent; this will sometimes involve running a workshop for service users with tasks set by the Garden Workshop Leader. Volunteers need to be physically fit and well as they are required to move equipment for use in the workshops and to assist with the extensive watering needed for the nursery plants (including the plant stock available for sale to the public).

Time commitment: A minimum of 1 weekday per week (9am to 4pm). We most urgently need volunteers on Mondays.

If you are interested in joining our team of volunteers please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator by emailing louisa@blackthorn.org.uk or call 01622 828381.