Volunteering

Looking for a way to make the most of your time and skills? Want to support your local community? Community support services at Elmbridge has plenty of opportunities to help you utilize your skills or learn new ones, all whilst helping support elderly and vulnerable residents across the borough.

Volunteering doesn’t need to be a full-time commitment. A couple of hours every fortnight could be all it takes to help make a difference to your local community. Our services run all across the borough, so no matter where you live in Elmbridge, there’s bound to be opportunities near you. 

If you’re interested in volunteering with us, call the community support team on 01372 474552 or email commservices@elmbridge.gov.uk 

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer short term volunteering opportunities or Duke of Edinburgh placements. For a list of other volunteering placements available in the borough, please contact Central Surrey Voluntary Action.

What’s on offer?

Elmbridge Council runs a variety of services for residents, from our seven Centres for the Community and meals on wheels to our dementia services, cobham link groups and more. 

Our volunteers have a wide range of roles and skills, all of which help support the community. Some of the roles we have on offer include: 

• delivering meals on wheels to vulnerable residents
• running a men in sheds group
• helping out in our community gardens
• leading a boomerang bag group to make reusable bags
• leading or supporting general groups and activities at our centres
• supporting activities for adults with learning disabilities and autism
• assisting with swimming sessions for adults with learning disabilities and autism
• assisting our dementia services team with their groups, support meetings and social evenings
• providing refreshments at a tea bar or community cafe
• greeting visitors to our centres at the information desk
• helping prepare lunches in a centre kitchen
• supporting our kitchen staff with preparing lunches for centre visitors and meals on wheels service
• supporting residents with shopping trips as a community transport buddy

How to get started

Once you’ve decided on a role, our Volunteer Coordinator can meet with you to discuss what opportunities are available near you, and guide you through the application process. As part of the process we will need to collect two references, and many of our roles also require a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check, but we can help you with this as well.

Once the application is completed, you’ll be put in touch with a member of the community support team who will help you get started in your new role. 

Think you could help? Any other questions? Contact the community support team on 01372 474552 or email commservices@elmbridge.gov.uk.

Looking for other ways to volunteer?

Elmbridge Borough Council has other volunteering opportunities across a variety of teams. From helping the family support team to leading healthy walks or supporting the countryside team with vital conservation work across our green spaces. Please see volunteering and work experience for full details.

For other volunteering opportunities across Elmbridge, including those suitable for short term and Duke of Edinburgh award participants, contact Central Surrey Voluntary Action to see what’s available near you. Full contact details can be found on Central Surrey Voluntary Action website.