Royal Voluntary Service
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How your work helps others

Our volunteers donate a huge variety of skills in a wealth of ways. They cover all kinds of roles, from working in hospital shops and cafés to offering transport for essential hospital appointments. From running weekly lunch clubs to creating community support groups.

What they all do, regardless of the role or activity they take on, is make a difference to the health and happiness of others.

That means giving people more access to services in their communities and improving social interaction. Helping people to keep doing the things they enjoy. Making sure people who might otherwise struggle to cope for themselves have the support they need. 

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Making an impact

Every year, we ask our clients and participants what they get from us. They tell us that we provide support to help combat isolation and loneliness. We offer someone to turn to in a crisis or emergency. We help people feel more able to cope with challenging, difficult and anxious times. The people we support feel healthier. Closer to their communities. They make new friends and find new interests. And if that’s not enough, they feel happier, too.

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Supporting the NHS

It’s not only individuals who feel the benefit – we help the NHS, too. The time volunteers provide in hospitals through shops, trolley services, Patient Transport, guiding and support on ward, is time that hard-pressed NHS staff can spend on care and treatment.

In 2020, Volunteer Responders was set up by NHS England, working with Royal Voluntary Service and the GoodSAM app as part of the national response to COVID-19. Our amazing team of Volunteer Responders completed millions of tasks helping to ease the burden on a health service battling the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to the fantastic support provided by so many dedicated volunteers, we’re now developing Volunteer Responders for the longer term to help the NHS support people’s needs, locally and nationally. It continues to provide emergency support to the NHS across England when needed.

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Ready to make a difference?

How could you use your skills and abilities to make a difference to people’s lives? Our volunteers help others in a huge variety of ways.

Maybe you’re good at languages, for example, or speak more than one. You could help us reach people who don’t have English as a first language.

Maybe you have great admin skills. We always need people to keep our clubs and community groups running efficiently.

If you’re a good listener, you’ll make a great companion, over the phone or in person. If you’re physically fit, perhaps you could offer a walking or exercise group. Whatever you feel you have to offer, there will be a way we can put it to good use.

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Still not sure?

That’s fine – we’re here to answer any questions you might have, and to tell you more about what you can expect from volunteering life. You can be sure that we’ll never ask for more than you feel you want to give, and that we’ll support you every single step of the way with training and guidance and people to turn to if you have any questions.  

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See what roles are available either locally or nationally. Search for a volunteering opportunity to see if any of them might suit you.  

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I love knowing I’ve made a difference.

Chris, a volunteer of 26 years volunteers alongside her husband as a Hospital Café volunteer. "The café is in the hospital’s oncology unit, so you get to know the patients, and they are such wonderful people, it’s so lovely to sit and talk to them for a little chat."

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Find an opportunity

Let’s take a look at the volunteering opportunities in your area and we’ll show you all the ways you can Play Your Part and offer support in your local community or NHS.

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Make an impact as a young adult volunteer

Volunteering doesn't just make an impact on the lives we help, it also impacts our volunteers. By volunteering with Royal Voluntary Service, you will be picking up key skills that help you in other areas of your life. Skills you can showcase in your UCAS application, or on your CV for future employees to see. Make a difference to yourself, as well as others, and sign up as one of our young adult volunteers.

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Royal Voluntary Service has been inspiring volunteers for more than 80 years.