Most of our roles are suitable for people aged 18 and above; however, we welcome volunteers from the age of 16 in some locations where we are able to ensure sufficient support is available. Unfortunately, we cannot accept volunteers under the age of 16.

There is no upper age limit for volunteering, and we welcome applications from everyone. Please note, however, that some roles require a minimum level of fitness.

No, most of our roles do not require a formal qualification; however, certain skill sets may be better suited to specific roles. Full training will always be provided. If any roles do require a qualification or specific experience, this will be clearly stated in the role description.

We would first ask you to complete a volunteer application form. For hospice- and community-based roles, we would then invite you to the hospice to meet a member of the Volunteer Engagement Team to discuss your application and provide further information about volunteering at St Wilfrid’s and current opportunities. For retail roles, we would invite you to meet the shop manager at your chosen location. All volunteers are required to provide two satisfactory references, and some roles will require a DBS check.

This varies depending on the role, but a typical commitment is one or two four-hour shifts per week. Some positions require the same shift each week, while others are more flexible, allowing shifts to be picked up as available. For many roles, we ask for a commitment of six months; however, we also offer shorter-term and one-off opportunities.

All volunteers receive a full induction and training to ensure they feel safe and comfortable in their role. This includes a combination of e-learning, face-to-face training, and on-the-job learning. We will fully support you if you require any help with the training or recruitment process.

All current volunteer opportunities can be found here https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicOrganization/22f52193-9243-4fd2-9828-6ac6346258ea/1

If you would like more details or cannot find the role you are looking for, please email the volunteering team at vsteam@stwhospice.org or call 01323 434205.

If you have recently experienced a bereavement, we ask that you wait a minimum of six months before volunteering with us, particularly in hospice-based or patient-facing roles. A member of the team would be happy to meet with you before the six-month period has ended to discuss this further and put a plan in place for when you feel ready to start volunteering.

Yes, please get in touch with us to discuss your requirements. We are happy to put reasonable adjustments in place where possible.