Volunteers Week 2025

UCAN will be promoting and celebrating #VolunteersWeek2025 in our role as the Volunteer Centre for Uttlesford

Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers. This year’s celebration runs from Monday 2nd – Sunday 8th June.

Launched in 1984, this initiative has been running for over 40 years, providing organisations and communities a platform to thank current and past volunteers for their invaluable efforts.

The campaign highlights the diversity and unity of volunteer work across the UK. In its 40th year, the campaign underwent a rebrand, introducing a vibrant identity to inspire continued engagement.

Our main event this year will the the Volunteer Recruitment Fair in Saffron Walden on Tuesday 3rd June, organised and hosted in connect with the fabulous team from Saffron Walden Town Council. Pop in to the Town Hall on Market Day to find out about volunteering roles available in the district with a host of voluntary sector partners available to meet and discuss the needs of their charity/organisation.

Volunteer Opportunity: Fundraising Events Coordinator

Little Dunmow Community Buildings Trust is looking for an enthusiastic volunteer to organise fundraising events to raise funds for their new community building in Little Dunmow.

Little Dunmow Community Buildings Trust is looking for an enthusiastic volunteer to organise fundraising events to raise funds for their new community building in Little Dunmow.

As an Events Coordinator, you will play a pivotal role in planning, coordinating and executing events.

Activities could include:

  • Plan and maintain a calendar of virtual and in-person events for community participation
  • Organise and ensure the successful delivery of at least four events per year
  • Create ‘in-house’ events or source ‘off-the-shelf’ events within defined cost limits
  • Send communications and materials to participants prior to each event
  • Coordinate logistical tasks in advance of each event
  • Coordinate each event on the day, organising volunteers and participants or leading activities
  • Provide participants and volunteers with a great experience
  • Ensure collection of all the due funds

This role will be home based. Events to be held in the Uttlesford area.

Skills needed:

  • Experience of organising fundraising events is desirable but not essential
  • A commitment to the aims of the Trust and the role
  • A willingness to devote the required time (estimated an average of two days per month) and effort
  • Excellent communication and organisation skills
  • An ability to think independently
  • Actively want to learn and develop your skills
  • A desire to meet people

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity – Community Supermarket Volunteer

Can you support the smooth running of our mobile Community Supermarket?

Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN) in partnership with, The Active Wellbeing Society are setting up a mobile community supermarket, to support local residents. We are looking for volunteers to make this possible.

Along with a supervisor, Community Supermarket Volunteers will support the smooth running of the mobile supermarket and operation of a mobile shop-like model where customers pay a small fee for the food they purchase. Volunteering will involve a range of tasks:

  • Sorting food/surplus stock.
  • Setting up the mobile supermarket.
  • Welcoming and serving customers.
  • Clearing away.
  • Engaging with the service users.

The mobile supermarket will visit 8 locations across Uttlesford over a two week period. We are looking for volunteers in/near Elsenham, Thaxted, Hatfield Heath, Hatfield Broad Oak, Felsted, Little Hallingbury, South Dunmow and Takeley. Volunteers will be needed for approx. 2 hrs.

We are looking for volunteers who:

  • Love food and helping people.
  • Are creative and like thinking on their feet.
  • Enjoy being part of a hard-working team.
  • Enjoy a fast-paced environment with a healthy buzz
  • Be involved in the heart of the community.

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity – Community Supermarket Volunteer Driver

Do you have some spare time and enjoy driving and helping the local community, this role would be perfect for you!

Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN) in partnership with, The Active Wellbeing Society are setting up a mobile community supermarket, to support local residents. We are looking for volunteers to make this possible.
Volunteer drivers are needed on an ad hoc basis to support our mobile community supermarket. You will be responsible for picking up food from retailers, wholesalers and producers and transporting them to our food storage depot at Hatfield Heath. You may also be asked to support in transporting food produce from the storage depot to the mobile community supermarket location during busy times, to keep up with stock levels.

You’ll be volunteering with a friendly staff team who take responsibility for overall delivery and keeping everyone safe.

A van will be provided by UCAN for this role. Full clean driving license needed.

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity – Wellbeing Telephone Call Volunteer

Ticket Home is the UCAN home from hospital scheme helping patients to safely be discharged from hospital and return home.
Volunteers are needed to make post discharge wellbeing telephone calls.

Volunteers are needed to make post discharge wellbeing telephone calls to check in with the patient and ensure they have everything they need and feel connect and cared for.

This is an occasional role, for volunteers with computer confidence and access to a telephone. The purpose of the call is to make sure the patient has everything they need to safely be at home. Questions will provided and responses are logged directly into our patient management system – Ticket Home. You will be supported by our Ticket Home Coordinator and will be given training

Skills needed:

  • Good communication skills
  • Kind, patient and compassionate
  • Good people skills
  • Calm and adaptable
  • Basic IT skills
  • Ability to use own initiative

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity – Family Support Volunteer

Support families by offering emotional support and guidance.

Your offer of time and support, as a volunteer, can mean the world to a family. Becoming a parent, whether it’s the first or the fourth time, can be an isolating experience.

Home-Visiting Volunteers offer families support and encouragement in their home by visiting them once a week for a period of six months. They develop a relationship with the family and encourage positive parenting and school readiness. They encourage the family to explore, reflect and come up with their own solutions. They can offer practical support within the home such as reading to a child.

Skills needed:

No formal qualifications required as full training will be given.

Parenting experience or experience of working with families and children.

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity – Support your local Libraries

Saffron Walden and Dunmow Libraries are looking for volunteers to support their activities.


Saffron Walden Library:

Warm Welcome Mornings Friday 10.30 – 12.30. Volunteers are needed to help with setting up, meet and greet, serving refreshments and socialising with the attendees.

Computer Support Volunteer. Helping library customers who need support to use either the computers in the library or their own devices. This might be through regular sessions, or specific IT surgery events.

Dunmow Library:

Baby and Toddler Rhyme Time Weds 9.30-10, Fri 10-10.30. Volunteers are needed to deliver the rhyme sessions, and support the development of children by sharing your enjoyment of books and rhymes.

Skills needed:

  • Warmth and friendliness.
  • Ability to interact with people of all ages.
  • Practical and ‘hands on’.
  • A good team worker, able to work with library staff and other volunteers.
  • Can set up and clean down area, including tea and coffee making.

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity: Chairman and Secretary

A local charity based in Thaxted who offers craft activities to adults living with physical disability is looking for a Chairman and Secretary to support the work of the charity.

A local charity based in Thaxted who offers craft activities to adults living with physical disability is looking for a Chairman and Secretary to support the work of the charity.

The Chairmans role would involve chairing the Trustee meetings (presently four times per year), promoting the charity, liaising with the Treasurer and Secretary to ensure the charity meets its regulatory obligations, supporting the funding co-ordinator as well as fund raising initiatives. The Centre is run by a volunteer manager on a day to day basis but the Chairman will need to take an interest in the work being done and help with decision making if needed.

The secretary’s role would include:

  • Organisation of quarterly committee meetings including preparation and issue of the agenda.
  • Preparation and issue of meeting minutes.
  • Organisation of an AGM including circulation of invites and agenda.
  • Set up of meeting and provision of documents for attendees.
  • Maintaining the file of minutes electronically and hard copy.

For further information

Contact us on:

Telephone: 01371 404525

Email: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity: Walking Buddies

UCAN is looking for volunteers who would be happy to walk with Beneficiaries in one of two roles:

1) Become a Walking Buddy – involves walking on a one-to-one basis with a Beneficiary. The walking time, length of walk and route is up to the Volunteer and Beneficiary to arrange together.  Some Beneficiaries simply wish for a gentle walk around their block, whilst others may like a longer route. 

2) Lead a Walking Group – involves meeting at a particular point and time with a group of residents who would like to walk in a group for a set time (around an hour).  This may be a weekly or fortnightly activity.

Beneficiaries may be:
 vulnerable people;
 people who feel anxious about going out alone; 
 people who are new to the area who would like to be shown where to walk.

If you would like to join us walking on either of these roles, please let us know!

Email: volunteer@ucan.org.uk Tel: 01371 404525

Guide and Brownie Group Leaders needed for Saffron Walden

Be part of Girlguiding and help run meetings for our young members.

Be part of Girlguiding and help run meetings for our young members.

We are looking for volunteer leaders, for our Guide and Brownie Groups in Saffron Walden.
Girlguiding offers opportunities for learning many transferable skills; organisation and planning, completing risk assessments and first aid to name a few.
It also gives the opportunity for exploration and magical moments as you share the fun that our young members have.

Skills needed:

  • Enthusiasm to inspire
  • A desire to learn and experience new things
  • Time – evenings once a week during term time.

We also offer flexible Guiding where any time is valued and can contribute to role sharing.

For further information

Contact us on:

Telephone: 01371 404525

Email: volunteer@ucan.org.uk