To say that volunteers are key to our organisation is an understatement – we are almost entirely run by volunteers across our food, furniture and digital initiatives!
The joining process is quick and you can begin volunteering as soon as you’re registered
If you haven’t heard from us after 7 days, please get back in touch so we can check we have the correct contact information.
Help in person
The area we need most support with is at our store stalls and to help as drivers. Occasionally, we also need volunteers to join our hub teams or help us repair furniture.
Store shifts at our stalls
At the centre of our operations are the volunteers assisting at the supermarket stalls. Stalls are our main food collection points and, without them, we would not be able to provide to so many local people in need. Shifts can be easily booked online and tend to be 1 1/2 to 3 hours long depending on each store and season.
Shifts can be booked regularly or ad hoc to be flexible around your schedule. Volunteering on the stalls is a great way to connect with the Dons Local Action Group family and the wider community. View the stall locations here.
Distribution hubs
Food hub: this is where donated items are sorted and packed, 7 days a week, to then be delivered locally by our drivers. We ask volunteers to commit to a regular weekly 3 hour shift to keep our operation as smooth as possible.
Address: Cappagh Group, Cappagh House, 8 Waterside Way, London SW17 0HB
Furniture hub: this is where furniture is organised, the repair team contacted if necessary, and the inventory updated. Volunteer hours are flexible but require on average 2 hours per week. Some tasks such as spreadsheet updates can be done from home.
Address: 260 Croydon Rd, Mitcham CR4 4JA (Next to The Ravensbury Pub)
Drivers
Our volunteer drivers keep stock flowing between our generous donors, the hubs and the local people, organisations and schools we help.
- Drivers from the food team collect donations from stalls to take to the hub and/or make deliveries to our recipients.
- Drivers from the Keep Kids Connected team collect laptops from local homes or businesses, bring them to our IT specialists and may also be involved with delivering them to local schools.
To be involved with this team, we would require you to have a DBS check which we would be very happy to help you apply and pay for.
Furniture repair
We occasionally have minor repairs to be made to donated furniture before it can be given to our recipients. This is an ad hoc team for people who enjoy fixing things and giving furniture a second life.
Help from home
We have opportunities for volunteers who can help ‘behind the scenes’. The roles vary greatly according to your interests, skills and the time you can offer.
Onboarding
Helpline
This team answers calls and deals with enquiries from referral organisations, and prospective volunteers and responds to donation queries. Shifts are 9 am–1 pm or 1 pm–5pm, Monday to Friday. We need volunteers who can commit to 1 or 2 shifts per week on average.
To be involved with this team, we would require you to have a DBS check which we would be very happy to help you apply and pay for.
Marketing
The team takes care of our website, social media channels, PR, branding and other marketing activities. We welcome volunteers with experience in marketing, PR, content creation or who are keen social media users.
Graphic design
Our marketing team works closely with graphic designers. They need help from skilled, experienced professionals who are familiar with Adobe Creative Cloud. Tasks may range from creating posters and other communications materials to developing new branded templates.
Under 18s
We actively encourage under 18s and believe it can not only help our charity but also the individuals concerned. We welcome many schools, Duke of Edinburgh volunteers and more. Please get in touch if you or under 18s you know would like to get involved. Our under 18s policy can be found here.