Our offices will be open Monday and Wednesday mornings only from 21 July until 29 August. Normal opening resumes on 1 September. Contact details as usual.
New volunteering opportunities are listed below.
We’re now on Instagram. Why not visit and give us a follow? We’d love to see you there.
We held our Summer Award lunch on 11 June, at which the Alan Hudson and Clare Fardell awards for volunteering effort were presented. Full report below.
Our annual report for 2024-25 has been published. Read or download.
What we do
We help individuals find volunteering opportunities that suit them best. We work with local organisations to find volunteers for recurring and one-off projects. We advise organisations about creating schemes that give employees the opportunity to volunteer. We provide advice, support and training.
New opportunities
New opportunities are also posted to our Facebook, Instagram and X pages. You can search all opportunities by visiting this page. Feel free to get in touch with us — details at bottom of page — for further information or advice.
HELP NEEDED to welcome and signpost exhibitors for a local produce and craft show, 8am - 10am on 9 August at Turnberries Community Centre. Contact us for details.
TEA PARTY HOSTS Tea parties provide a lifeline of friendship for socially isolated or lonely older people. As a host, once or twice a year you’ll welcome older people into your home and prepare and serve refreshments. More details.
TEA PARTY DRIVERS You will collect older guests from their homes, accompany them to the monthly tea party and drive them home again afterwards. Full driving license essential. More details.
CALL COMPANIONS You will make regular telephone calls to lonely and isolated older people, providing a lifeline of friendship and a vital link with the outside world. One hour a week, can be from home. More details.
TRUSTEES Are needed by a trust in Kingswood which is refurbishing an old church as a community and events centre. Your expertise could be in banking, fundraising, marketing, licensing or other essential skills. More details.
TREASURER Urgently required for local Arts group. Duties will include collecting donations, receiving cash and cheques, keeping record of transactions and presenting accounts at committee meetings. More details.
LAWN CUTTER A local pre-school has a large uneven grass area that needs mowing every 2-3 weeks, evenings or weekends. There is no mower on site so volunteer would need to provide one. More details.
TRUSTEE A local community company needs suitably qualified trustees with an interest in the ethos of community transport to join its trust board. More details.
MINIBUS DRIVERS A community transport service seeks volunteers to drive minibuses or smaller multi-purpose vehicles to help the less able by taking them to GP and hospital appointments, the shops, social trips etc. More details.
CAR DRIVERS Volunteers required for a local community transport body to use their private vehicles to take clients on shopping, leisure and other trips. Expenses paid. More details.
HEDGEHOG CARE A great opportunity to get up close and personal with hedgehogs and see rehabilitation in action. A typical session consists of helping to clean out and feed resident hogs, occasionally helping with hospital room duties. More details.
DIY HELP A local charity helping people with multiple sclerosis (MS) seeks volunteers for simple DIY tasks (eg putting up shelves or changing a light bulb) in the homes of MS sufferers. Reasonable degree of physical fitness needed. More details.
GARDEN MAINTENANCE The same charity needs volunteers for regular general garden care in the homes of MS sufferers. The skill level required is of someone who has maintained their own garden. Reasonable degree of physical fitness needed. More details..
Summer Award lunch
On Wednesday 11 June, as part of our celebrations for Volunteers’ Week, we welcomed more than 70 representatives and volunteers from 33 volunteer-involving organisations to a lunch in the United Reformed Church Hall, Thornbury.
This lovely summer event allowed us to say thank you for the hard work and commitment this section of the community has given, and continues to give, to the Thornbury and district area. It also provided guests with the opportunity to meet other volunteers and organisations and share experiences.
We welcomed guests to the event, sponsored by Thornbury Lions Club, and treated them to a delicious lunch generously prepared and donated by Sandra at The Swan.
We were joined by guest speaker Mark Cardwell of Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire who gave a highly informative talk on the services it offers to the community.
The annual Alan Hudson award for volunteering achievement was awarded to Thornbury Radio for their outstanding contribution to the local community. The award was presented by Julie Kent, MBE, High Sheriff of Gloucestershire.
We presented the Clare Fardell award to Kinsley Hawkesford for her outstanding voluntary contribution to Thornbury parkrun. The award was presented by Thornbury Town Mayor Cllr. Helen Ball.
Follow the links for more details about the award winners and their contributions to the community.
Be a volunteer!
Volunteering is about giving your time to a good cause. You don’t get paid, but you do get the chance to use your talents, develop new skills, and experience the pleasure that comes from making a real difference to other people’s lives, as well as your own.
Who can be a volunteer?
Anyone. Whatever your age, background or work experience, you will have a skill someone needs. No matter how busy you are, there will be something you can do. It can be trickier to find volunteer roles if you are under 16, but not impossible. Just ask us.
What can I do?
Anything. (Almost.) More than 100 different volunteer roles are available in the Thornbury area, from driving to gardening, fundraising to shop work, befriending to administration. There’s something for everyone.
How do I get started?
Search our opportunities to find one you like, then follow it up with us. Or you can ask us to suggest an opportunity that inspires you. (Contact details are at the bottom of the page.) Either way, it’s best to register with us first so we know a little about you and your interests. See also our frequently asked questions page.
For organisations
Every month, new people register to volunteer with us from all walks of life. We provide a range of services to help you to find the volunteers you need.
More than just great volunteers
With nearly three decades of experience, we know that finding a volunteer is only the start. Planning is essential to successfully place and retain volunteers. That’s why we can also provide you with good practice advice, resources, support and training and help you provide successful experiences for both yourselves and your volunteers. We can also help you set up an employer-supported volunteering scheme.
Getting started
To start recruiting volunteers, you need to complete our organisation registration form and register your volunteering opportunities so that we can promote them for you. For information and advice at any time, get in touch with us. (Our contact details are at the bottom of the page.) See also our frequently asked questions page.
The Town Hall, 35 High Street, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 2AR. Telephone: 01454 413392. Or use our Contact form. Open Monday to Friday, 10.30–12.00; closed on public holidays.
We’re also on social media:
Thornbury Volunteer Centre is a registered charity, number 1180775. This site © Thornbury Volunteer Centre 2016-. Site design by Michael Quinion. Page last updated 12 July 2025.