If you're keen to help others and have some spare time to lend a hand, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in Gloucestershire.
Go Volunteer Glos brings a whole host of opportunities together in one place, where willing volunteers can see which roles would suit them best. In this hot list, SoGlos rounds up some of the key organisations in the county looking for helpers to give them a boost.
Gloucestershire Constabulary
As one of one of the oldest rural police forces in Britain, there are a wealth of opportunities for volunteers to get their teeth into.
Volunteers can take care of police horses; lead cadets; promote cyber safety; issue uniforms; help maintain the fleet of police cars; help to record the force's archives; and even take on role play for police officer training - or get out on the streets as a Volunteer Police Community Support Officer.
Tewkesbury Nature Reserve
If you love the great outdoors, the volunteer opportunities at this area of wetlands could be perfect for you. Try your hand at scrub cutting, hedge laying, reed cutting and path clearance as a practical volunteer. Or, if you'd rather not get your hands less dirty, step up to the role of walk leader or keep your eyes peeled for butterflies, dragonflies, bats and birds as a citizen science volunteer.
There are admin roles, too, ideal for the less able-bodied, with secretary and chair of trustees role up for grabs.
Holst Victorian House in Cheltenham
The Cheltenham home of celebrated composer Gustav Holst has volunteer opportunities in front of house and education. It's looking for people to welcome visitors and to run arts and crafts activities for families.
Volunteers show guests Holst’s famous piano where he composed 'The Planets' and the room where he was born, as well as showing them around rooms decorated as they would have been during his Victorian childhood, complete with period furniture and family art work.
The Door Youth Project in Stroud
Offering a listening and advice service for struggling young people and families, this charity is looking for kindly souls who are willing to become youth or parent mentors.
The team also needs retail volunteers to help with sorting clothes and pricing items in its charity shops, as well as youth work volunteers to run activities and clubs for young people.
Jet Age Museum in Gloucester
The Jet Age Museum in Churchdown is staffed only by volunteers, some of whom flew in aircraft on display, so you'll be in great company alongside former pilots with plenty of tales to tell.
The museum is looking for volunteers to help with restoration and conservation of the planes, as well as fundraisers and people who are happy to show visitors around the enthralling exhibits from days gone by.
Read Easy Cheltenham & Gloucester
This rewarding charity helps adults learn to read. If you've got a love of books or the written word, helping someone else find that love, too, could give you both a boost.
Based in libraries across Gloucestershire, the team offers all the training you need to help. Easy Read is on the lookout for a reading coach, coordinator and volunteer recruiter.
Footsteps Counselling and Care
Family is at the heart of this compassionate charity which offers counselling and care for anyone in the Gloucestershire area affected by pregnancy-related issues.
Ranging from the loss of a baby, traumatic birth, fertility problems to pregnancy-related mental health issues, the team has a counselling service virtually or in person, an online support hub and a charity shop in Gloucester. It's looking for counsellors, fundraisers, shop assistants and a trustee.
Girlguiding Gloucestershire
Girlguiding Gloucestershire has 4,000 young members and nearly 1,100 adult members and volunteers - so you'll be in good company.
Aiming to build girls’ confidence and raise their aspirations, as well as providing a space where they can be themselves, build friendships and gain life skills, Girlguiding is looking for volunteers to join the fun across the county from Tetbury to Fairford, Berkeley and Cheltenham.
Sunflowers Suicide Support
This small charity helps families who have lost a loved one to suicide. By listening and sharing experiences, members provide practical and professional support so mourners do not feel overwhelmed and alone.
The team needs gardeners to dig in and create a memory garden in Gloucester, as well as fundraiser and event volunteers.
Longfield Hospice
Caring for those at the end of their lives at home or at its hospice on the edge of Stroud, this compassionate hospice needs support to keep looking after loved ones.
It's looking for drivers to take people to appointments, walkers to chat to the recently bereaved on Minchinhampton Common, charity shop volunteers as well as van drivers, online sellers and event volunteers to help with fundraising.
Caring for Communities and People
More than 160 volunteers help this huge charity, that stretches across seven south west counties, in supporting families to prevent breakdowns and homelessness.
They want befrienders and telefrienders to come forward to tackle loneliness, family support volunteers to help those in crisis as well as adult advocates to support vulnerable adults.
Llanthony Secunda Priory Trust
This scheduled monument has been part of Gloucester's rich history for more than 900 years. To keep the ancient site well looked after, the trust has a host of volunteers keeping it looking its best.
Opportunities include ground maintenance of its five acres, cafe volunteers, open day hosts and event stewards.
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Covering mental health, physical health and learning disability services, volunteers form a crucial part of delivering services that make a big difference to many lives.
Volunteering opportunities are regularly added to the Go Volunteer Glos website to help in hospitals, community buildings and people's homes.
