Volunteer roles

Home Visit Befrienders

Home Visit Befrienders offer companionship and friendship to an isolated, lonely older person living in their own home, by providing regular weekly visits to the clients home. Visits typically last around 1 hour and in this time you might chat, share life stories, listen to music or watch a tv programme together, help to read the mail, or prepare a meal together  – For this role we ask volunteers to commit to visiting their client once a week, for a minimum of six months.  Home Visit Befrienders must be aged 18 or over. 

Telephone Befrienders

Telephone Befrienders offer friendship and conversation by telephoning an isolated, lonely older person on a weekly basis.  Telephone befrienders spend around one hour a week chatting with the client, providing conversation and companionship over the telephone, working to build a lasting friendship. Telephone Befrienders must be aged 18 or over.

Step Out Volunteers 

Step out volunteers provide encouragement and support to older people that have lost their confidence in doing day to day activities through lockdown.  A Step Out Volunteer would be matched with a client for a 6-8 week period and would help build confidence in such tasks as taking a bus, accompanying to the shops/supermarket, accompanying to a local group or simply getting out for a walk.  There is a small element of paperwork in this role in the form of writing up a brief report after each visit. Volunteers must be available to volunteer in this role during office hours Monday-Friday 09:00-16:00. Step Out Volunteers must be aged 18 or over.

Digital Inclusion Volunteers

Assisting and teaching older people to access the internet via a new device, Tablet or Smart Phone, connecting people to their families by email, video calls or social media, alleviating isolation and loneliness.  Digital Inclusion Volunteers would spend a number of weeks visiting a client in their home to teach and support them in building digital skills.  Volunteers in this role must be aged 18 or over.

Administration Volunteers

Volunteers with administration experience can currently offer their skills in a "work from home" environment, or at our office based on Bank Street in Castleford. We have a number of roles to fill for people who have experience talking on the telephone, working with a computer database system, and who have office and administration skills. Volunteers should be committed to offering at least six months to the role due to the amount of training that will be offered. Volunteers in this role must be aged 18 or over.

Time For Tea

Time for Tea is a new exciting way to encourage older lonely and isolated people to gather together for a period of time and enjoy some company with an opportunity to be informed about our services.  Could you provide a warm and welcome smile to someone joining our Time for Tea events for the first time?  Sit and have a chat over a cup of tea, socialise with participants and help serve refreshments? Time for Tea events are held monthly at Supermarkets across the Wakefield District and twice per month in The Ridings Shopping Centre Wakefield.  Volunteers in this role must be aged 16 or over.

Retail Assistants

Volunteers can assist in our shops in Horbury, South Elmsall or Wakefield - greeting and serving customers, preparing goods for sale, assisting with shop displays and handling cash transactions on the till. Retail Assistant volunteers must be aged 16 or over. Our shops are open Monday,Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Wraparound Volunteer 

Our wraparound team offer emotional support to older people who are struggling with anxiety and emotional issues relating to Covid and previous Lockdowns.  As a volunteer on this service you will be given a small number of clients each week, to speak with by telephone, make sure the client is coping and is safe and well.  You might provide appropriate support from ideas for passing the time of day in a fulfilling way, to improving spirits and overall wellbeing.  Wraparound volunteers must be aged 18 or over.

Volunteer Driver 

If you have access to a van and find yourself with some spare time, we are looking for a helpful driver who could travel across the district to collect charity shop donations for us and to deliver them to one of our shops.  Volunteer drivers must be aged 21 or over and have a full clean driving licence.  

Fundraising

If you have a passion for raising money, and are full of creative ideas to get people donating, then help us to raise money for the services which we provide throughout the Wakefield District.  You may have an idea for a one off event, or maybe you have time to raise money on a more regular basis.  We are on the lookout for a team of Fundraising Volunteers; it doesn’t matter if you only have 1 hour to spare or 1 day a week.  We can offer support throughout your efforts and provide materials such as sponsorship forms and social media attention.  Volunteers in this role must be 16 or over (unless based in a school with adult support).

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees provide the overall management and financial scrutiny of the Organisation. 

Peter Box - Chair
I became involved in Age UK Wakefield District because of my keen interest in the role of older people in society and of trying to help find solutions to some of the particular problems they face particularly post Covid.  Being born and still living in Castleford, meant I had a particular interest in supporting Age UK Wakefield District and the work they do for local, older people.

Bill Barker - Treasurer

I was born in Birmingham, a long time ago! Educated and trained at BirminghamUniversity until graduating in 1976 as a Doctor.  I am married with three grown children.  I have been a trustee with Age UK Wakefield District since 2008.

I am an enthusiastic cook and shopper and an interesting fact is that  I was the first member of the public through the doors of The Hepworth when the doors opened!

Richard Forster - Trustee

Since 2013 I have represented the people of Castleford on Wakefield Council. Prior to this I had a career in social Housing as a professional Housing Manager where I worked for both the Local Authority and a Housing Association.

I am married with 2 grown up children both working in different areas of health provision.
I am committed to ensuring that as people grow older they have easy access to services that promote and provide opportunities for a healthy and active life.