January 2024

Thanet Volunteering Opportunities

Creative Workshops
Arts in Ramsgate will be delivering two free creative workshops in collaboration with University of Kent as part of the High Street Social Club project:
Art of Mapping – Saturday 27 January 10am to 3pm
Art of Feeling Good – Saturday 10 February 10am to 3pm

They would love to hear from volunteers who are available for a few hours on either day to take part in and support the workshops. Further details available here.
Please contact Nikki – nikkihildesley@discoveryplanet.co.uk

Mini Woodland Planting Day
Volunteers needed to help plant over 1000 saplings to create a mini woodland.
Where? Manston Business Park CT12 5BF
When? Wednesday 31 January 10am to 2pm AND Wednesday 7 February 10am to 2pm
Please bring your own gloves and packed lunch
Contact anna.ritchie@kent.gov.uk to register interest and for more details

Cooking and Nutrition Volunteer with the Medaille Trust. To help support with the delivery of cooking and nutrition classes for service users.

Administrator for 6th Ramsgate Royal Harbour Sea Scouts Group – maintain accurate membership records and assist with fundraising events and grants.

Volunteer Events Assistant with Age UK Thanet – generally 4 events per year. Assist the fundraising team with planning events, help with advertising, meet and greet, set up and clear down

Power of Women will be holding a volunteer meet up on Sunday 14 January from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Albion House Hotel, Ramsgate CT11 8HQ.
All current and new volunteers welcome to hear more about 2024 POW Festival opportunities.

Folkestone and Hythe Opportunities

Rainbow centre Folkestone
We have a wide variety of volunteering opportunities across a range of services, so there is something for everyone.

For more details please contact
Telephone: 01303 210559
Email: volunteering@rainbow-centre.org

Radio Presenter / Producer with 105.9 Academy FM Folkestone
We are currently looking for volunteers in the Folkestone and surrounding areas to present and produce local original content for on-air broadcast.
No prior experience is required as training will be given on a one to one basis per session if required.
Volunteers will:
– Learn how to present and produce a Radio show.
– Know how a Radio Desk operates while live and pre-recorded.
– Develop presenting and confidence skills.
– Develop multitasking skills (Trailing links, changing songs to fit the hour etc.)
– Learn how to present traffic/travel and weather bulletins (if required).
– Learn how to present local news and talking points in your own presenting style.
Contact Ross Hoare 01303 248770

Homestart Shepway
As a Home-Start Volunteer, you will visit a family at home or support over the phone for around 2 hours a week.
During your visits, you’ll be helping the family to improve their parenting and life skills, and supporting them to prepare for future life challenges.
You will also help to develop children’s early learning through play, reading, games and fun activities.
If you’d like to know more about volunteering for us, please get in touch with our staff team for a chat on 01303 244836

South Kent Coast Age UK

Meal Delivery Drivers Delivering hot meals to older people in the local community. Opportunties in Deal or Folkestone, 11.30am-1.30pm any day of the week.
Activity Providers Do you have a skill, hobby or interest you would like to share with others? Volunteer to run an activity at one of our centres in Deal or Folkestone or get support from us to set-up a group of your own in the community.
Keep In Touch Volunteers (telephone befriending) Making a weekly call to a small list of older people to help ease lonliness and isolation.

For more detail please contact
01303 279 621 or email Rebecca operationsmanager@ageukskc.org.uk

Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway are looking for:

Visitor Experience Guides and Hosts to welcome new and regular visitors to the Railway, Hythe, and Romney Marsh.
Retail and Hospitality Support for gift shops, cafes and restaurants including ‘Gladys’ the Bar Car which travels the length of the line serving drinks and snacks to private hire groups. Volunteer for ‘Gladys’ to become a casual tour guide and bar server
Promotion volunteers to promote the railway at trade shows and exhibitions – fun days out, meeting new people and making friends along the way.
Maintenance volunteers – From track, to buildings, to trains – keeping the railway safe, attractive and preserving its heritage.
Gardening volunteers to develop our gardens at each station to not only look amazing but to also provide habitats and forage for wildlife.
Safety duties operating our trains and may be even driving them (a longer apprenticeship there)
Model Railway Exhibition – Based at New Romney Station. Are you a Model Railway Enthusiast with a passion for cleanliness and great customer service? Join our team at the Model Railway Exhibition.

For more information ring 01797 362 353 or email info@rhdr.org.uk

Dover District Opportunities

The White Cliffs Countryside Partnership has a new task programme for January. It’s packed full of volunteer events and activities – dip in as an when it suits you!

The Getaway Garden in Whitfield, Dover is a partnership project between Town and Country Housing, Dover Counselling Centre, Future Skills CIC and Dover District Council and they are looking for regular volunteers to get involved to help maintain the garden, plus ad hoc volunteers to help with supporting community group sessions and events provided on-site, usually there’s at least one event a month – for example in February they’ve got a Knit & Natter session planned. Any skills would be welcomed by this inclusive, friendly organisation. To find out more contact 01303 248259 or email carol@futureskills.org.uk

Dover’s Maison Dieu
The work to restore this important historical building continues, and with it comes several exciting volunteering opportunities:

Research Volunteers, a role researching stories relating to the building and the diverse range of people who have lived, visited or worked there over the centuries.
Events Volunteers, who will play an important role in delivering a high-quality programme of events and activities inspired by the heritage of the Maison Dieu. Planned activities include heritage, art and craft events, talks and exhibitions inspired by the history and heritage of the building. Event volunteers will welcome and engage with visitors, including families, teenagers, adults, school and pre-school groups, older people, people with special educational needs and disabilities and people from diverse local communities.
Publicity/Social Media Volunteers, who will play an important role in promoting Maison Dieu events and activities to the widest possible audience. This will include advance publicity via the project website, e-newsletter list, local and regional media, events listings, community partners, Primary Times, local schools and colleges, White Cliffs Tourism, and other channels. They will help with the dissemination of the Maison Dieu What’s On Guide and event listings.
Oral History volunteers will record Maison Dieu memories to be edited to create audio content for exhibitions, digital tours and the Maison Dieu website. These memories will form an important digital archive that can be accessed by local people, and will provide rich content for future exhibitions, displays and events.

Please contact martin.crowther@dover.gov.uk to find out more about these exciting opportunities.

All Area Opportunities

Outreach NHS Health Checks Volunteer – attend NHS events in East Kent to promote NHS health checks and other NHS campaigns. Ideal for gaining experience in health and social care and part of the NHS Volunteer to Career programme
Additional Volunteer to Career roles available – click here

Building Connections Volunteer Befriender – make a difference to the lives of children and young people experiencing loneliness. Volunteers are matched with a young person and can volunteer from home via an online text based messaging service. Full training and support provided.

Project Hope Writer – This role can be done anytime from anywhere. Project Hope involves writing letters, cards, postcards, quotes or poems to female prisoner- many of whom have experienced domestic abuse.
These letters are words of encouragement, inspirational and empowerment to let the women know that someone, somewhere is thinking of them and they are not alone

Carers Support East Kent are looking for friendly volunteers to facilitate free carers support groups in their area. Encouraging community through connection.

Volunteer Drivers make a difference! We are expanding our team of volunteer drivers and would love to hear from you. Mileage paid, full training and support provided.

Tools With a Mission Virtual Volunteering Event

Tools With a Mission send donated refurbished tools to vulnerable people in rural African communities.
They have many volunteering roles available and are holding two Zoom events on Thursday 18 January to share more information with potential volunteers.
Sessions will be from 2.30pm to 3.30pm and 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
Click here for more information and Zoom links.