Employee Volunteering

Many employers now offer “volunteer days” to their staff. Below are some suggestions for ways in which you can use your volunteer days to support local charities and community groups. Click on the opportunity, to take you through to further details.

Remember, volunteering is a great way to boost your own well-being. As the Mental Health Foundation has shown “doing good does you good”. It can also be a way to reconnect with your team and learn some surprising new skills.

(Note some of these opportunities are still not available due to Covid. However, you may be able to provisionally plan ahead.)

Conservation Volunteering and Gardening

Surrey Countryside Partnership – teams of 5 can join the main task programme; larger teams need to book a separate day
Gatton Trust, Reigate – teams of up to 20
Surrey Wildlife Trust – corporate days for larger teams, basic volunteer day for teams of up to 5

Other Team days

Stripey Stork – preparing packs for children and families
Hersham Hounds – cleaning out kennels
See also Fundraising Opportunities below

To add extra value and flexibility, think about “chunking” your time into hours, rather than full days.

SATRO – help deliver one-off activities in schools
Leonard Cheshire – deliver one-off activities for older people in Godalming (individual or small team)
Volunteer Drivers – Various roles – confirm in advance how many hours you can commit and over what time period. (Note DBS checks may be needed if you are driving vulnerable people).
Virtual Yoga teacher for The Children’s Trust – 2 hours per week – could you offer a 4-6 week course?

Lots of flexibility with fundraising and really appreciated by charities. Worth checking if your employer will match your donation.

Take part in a challenge or sponsored events: running; cycling; other challenges
Volunteer at a fundraising event: Legends Festival (Marie Curie); Orphest (The Orpheus Centre); Supercar event (The Children’s Trust)
Organise a collection of in-kind support (please check first to see exactly what is needed):
- Food collections for food banks
- Children’s clothes and baby items for Stripey Stork
- Toiletries for distribution by the Hygiene bank
Pick a cause that you want to support and organise your own … golf day, coffee morning, quiz, murder mystery etc. etc.

Employees further afield?

There is a network of Volunteer Centres across Surrey (and the UK).

For a list of Surrey Volunteer Centres click here
For a list of volunteer centres across the UK click here

Want more options?

Try searching our volunteer database for other volunteer opportunities.

Many opportunities are only suitable if you can commit a reasonable amount of time. This is because of the investment needed to train and supervise a new volunteer. However, it is always worth asking about flexibility.

Search opportunities

Points to remember for Team Volunteering:

Agree a date well in advance – to fit with you and your host
Think about the size of your team – sometimes smaller is better
Be clear on costs – there is a fixed charge for some team days, in particular for large teams, to cover staff time. Some organisations may request a contribution towards materials.
Before the day – do you know where the activity will take place; who is your contact on the day; what clothes should be worn; are refreshments provided?
Volunteer safely – do you understand the risk assessment for the activity? Is insurance in place?
Take lots of photos – share them with your colleagues, friends and family to generate great publicity for the charity

Employee Volunteering

Many employers now offer “volunteer days” to their staff. Below are some suggestions for ways in which you can use your volunteer days to support local charities and community groups. Click on the opportunity, to take you through to further details.

Remember, volunteering is a great way to boost your own well-being. As the Mental Health Foundation has shown “doing good does you good”. It can also be a way to reconnect with your team and learn some surprising new skills.

Team Volunteering

(Note some of these opportunities are still not available due to Covid. However, you may be able to provisionally plan ahead.)

Conservation Volunteering and Gardening

Surrey Countryside Partnership – teams of 5 can join the main task programme; larger teams need to book a separate day

Gatton Trust, Reigate – teams of up to 20

Surrey Wildlife Trust – corporate days for larger teams, basic volunteer day for teams of up to 5

Other Team days

Stripey Stork – preparing packs for children and families

Hersham Hounds – cleaning out kennels

Individual Volunteering

To add extra value and flexibility, think about “chunking” your time into hours, rather than full days.

SATRO – help deliver one-off activities in schools

Leonard Cheshire – deliver one-off activities for older people in Godalming (individual or small team)

Volunteer Drivers – Various roles – confirm in advance how many hours you can commit and over what time period. (Note DBS checks may be needed if you are driving vulnerable people).

Virtual Yoga teacher for The Children’s Trust – 2 hours per week – could you offer a 4-6 week course?

Fundraising Volunteering

Lots of flexibility with fundraising and really appreciated by charities. Worth checking if your employer will match your donation.

Take part in a challenge or sponsored events: running; cycling; other challenges

Volunteer at a fundraising event: Legends Festival (Marie Curie); Orphest (The Orpheus Centre); Supercar event (The Children’s Trust)

Organise a collection of in-kind support (please check first to see exactly what is needed):

Food collections for food banks

Children’s clothes and baby items for Stripey Stork

Toiletries for distribution by the Hygiene bank

Pick a cause that you want to support and organise your own … golf day, coffee morning, quiz, murder mystery etc. etc.

Further Information and Top Tips

Employees further afield?

There is a network of Volunteer Centres across Surrey (and the UK).

For a list of Surrey Volunteer Centres click here

For a list of volunteer centres across the UK click here

Try searching our volunteer database for other volunteer opportunities.

Many opportunities are only suitable if you can commit a reasonable amount of time. This is because of the investment needed to train and supervise a new volunteer. However, it is always worth asking about flexibility.

Points to remember for Team Volunteering:

Agree a date well in advance – to fit with you and your host

Think about the size of your team – sometimes smaller is better

Be clear on costs – there is a fixed charge for some team days, in particular for large teams, to cover staff time. Some organisations may request a contribution towards materials.

Before the day – do you know where the activity will take place; who is your contact on the day; what clothes should be worn; are refreshments provided?

Volunteer safely – do you understand the risk assessment for the activity? Is insurance in place?

Take lots of photos – share them with your colleagues, friends and family to generate great publicity for the charity