Volunteer with us
Volunteers are the heart of FareShare Sussex and they keep the project thriving. We are always looking for more enthusiastic people to get involved. You could drive the vans, assist on deliveries, sort food or maintain the warehouse. We also sometimes have office and events roles available, and we are always looking for people interested in fundraising for us too.
If you are looking to build your confidence and your work skills, meet and socialise with a great mix of people and support the fight against food waste and poverty in your city, why not come and work with us?
For warehouse based volunteers, we ask for a commitment of at least one shift per week. For all volunteers, it requires an ability to follow procedures and a commitment to equal opportunities and adherence to FareShare’s policies.
Read our volunteer stories here.
Volunteer Roles
Delivery Driver
What will I be doing?
- Driving a FareShare van that delivers food to our member organisations
- Collecting food from suppliers
- Carrying out comprehensive vehicle checks before and after each shift
- Loading and unloading deliveries
- Providing a high level of customer service to our member organisations
- Representing FareShare out in the community
Requirements:
- A full clean licence
- Volunteers to be over 25
- A full DBS check
- Punctuality and good time-keeping skills
- A commitment of one shift per week
“I have a clean driving licence but can’t afford a car so I hadn’t driven for a while. I wanted to get back on the road and gain experience whilst on Job Seeker’s Allowance to help my chances of getting into paid work. My confidence has already grown in the few months I have been here. I am learning new routes and improving my driving skills on the van.” Guy, Volunteer Driver since August 2014
Delivery/Warehouse Assistant
What will I be doing?
- Picking stock and labelling orders for deliveries
- Going out on the van with the Delivery Driver making deliveries
- Sorting food and restocking shelves
- Loading and unloading the van/deliveries
- Heavy lifting
- Recording van temperatures and taking signatures on deliveries
- Providing a high level of customer service to our member organisations
- Representing FareShare out in the community
Requirements:
- Punctuality and good time-keeping skills
- Good customer service skills
- Attention to detail
- A commitment of one shift per week
“I love going out and seeing the smile on people’s faces when we give to someone with nothing and they say ‘wow!’ I get a real buzz from that.” Jon, Delivery Assistant for 6 years
Office Assistant
What will I be doing?
- Administrative tasks such as data inputting and filing
- Answering phones
- Researching funding opportunities and sending out applications
- Events organisation
- Monitoring and evaluation assistance
Requirements:
- Strong communication skills
- Competent IT skills
- Good organisational skills and attention to detail
- High level of customer service skills
Please note that due to limited office space, this role is not always available.
“During my time working with FareShare I’ve developed an awareness of the logistics of fundraising, PR, team-work and general management. There’s lots of scope to make your ideas heard and put your own mark on making a difference in the local area.” Lizzie, Office Assistant, Summer 2014
Social Media Ambassador
Support us in raising our profile with the British public and increase our reach online. The more people hear our message, the more impact we can have. Help us spread the word!
What will I be doing?
• Join our community of social ambassadors and receive a weekly email with our latest news and messages, with handy tips thrown in for good measure!
• Share FareShare’s official posts on your social networks of choice
• Help us reach new audiences and make a big splash
Requirements:
• Active on social media
• Passionate about using your social channels to create change
• Sound judgement – be aware you are representing a charity online
Benefits:
• Be part of an online community of food heroes
• Develop your social media skills
• The opportunity to support a great cause fighting food waste and hunger in the UK
Community Fundraiser
Run events in your community to raise vital funds to support our work getting good food to good causes. We will provide hints and tips to get you started, but we need you to make it happen!
Every £1 you raise will provide four meals for people in need.
What will I be doing?
• Coming up with fun, accessible fundraising ideas for your local area
• Making it happen – organising fundraising events in your community
• Engaging local schools and community groups to fundraise for FareShare
Requirements:
• Comfortable speaking to groups of people
• Positive, friendly and enthusiastic about raising money to fight food waste and food poverty
• Self-starter – we will provide fundraising tips for you to bring to life
• Good organisational skills
Benefits:
• Be an active member of your community
• Learn how to run fundraising events and strengthen your people skills
• Make a tangible difference to the lives of people affected by food poverty