Volunteering
Oppourtunities

Halesworth Volunteers is a registered charity supporting people in Halesworth and the surrounding area through volunteer-led help and companionship. We support those who are isolated, need transport assistance, or want greater community connection through practical help and social activities.

All roles are flexible and arranged around individual availability.

• Community Car Service – Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to help people without transport attend medical and social appointments.
• Isolation Busters – Befriending and practical support including visits, shopping, dog walking, garden tidying, games, outings, tea parties, and community lunches.
• Community Larder – A welcoming space to share, donate, or access food and essentials, open to all.
• Additional support roles – Dog walking, baking for events, shopping and deliveries, and help with small household tasks or garden maintenance.
• Trustees and fundraising support to help guide and sustain the charity.

We are a volunteer group working with local councils and the community to improve the environmental quality of Halesworth and surrounding areas.

We maintain floral displays and green spaces across the town with support from local residents and businesses.

We welcome volunteers to help with planting, weeding, and watering. Regular working parties support key sites including:

• Thoroughfare and Market Place planters
• Sorting Office planters
• Town Park beds
• Memorial Garden
• Roundabouts

Walpole Old Chapel is a nationally important non-conformist chapel dating from c1690, described by Historic England as a historic gem. FWOC owns and manages the building, preserving its heritage and promoting its cultural significance.

The chapel remains a listed place of worship and also hosts weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals, and memorial services. It is also used as a venue for acoustic music, theatre, and spoken word performances. A major restoration project is underway, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and we are expanding volunteer capacity to support this work.

We are seeking volunteers for a range of roles including:

• Trustees to join the board
• Visitor stewards for open days and events
• Community history researchers for our Discovery Project
• Support with publicity and marketing

EACH supports children with life-limiting conditions and their families across East Anglia through hospices in Ipswich, Cambridge, and Norfolk. The Halesworth shop helps fund this care by processing donations for resale.

Shop-based roles include:

• Sorting and preparing donations
• Till operation and customer service
• eCommerce support
• Steaming and preparing garments
• General shop assistance

HDCF is a registered charity supporting people living with dementia and their unpaid carers across Halesworth and surrounding villages. We run a weekly day centre and a range of wellbeing activities including music, yoga, crafts, and support groups.

We welcome volunteers to support day centre sessions and activities. Roles require no specialist experience, just warmth and reliability.

Other opportunities include fundraising, outreach, and trustee roles.

We are a volunteer-run museum covering 10,000 years of local history, from early settlement to Victorian industry. Located at Halesworth Railway Station, we also provide local and family history research facilities.

Open seasonally from April to October, plus by appointment.

Roles include stewarding, cataloguing, display preparation, and research. Training is provided.

Halesworth ASH connects people and ideas to support a nature-friendly and climate-resilient community.

We run events, conferences, films, and newsletters covering local sustainability topics, working with schools and community groups.

Opportunities vary and are usually event-based, particularly for annual conferences and community events.

We promote cycling to improve physical and mental wellbeing and reduce isolation in rural communities

• Bike Buddies supporting inclusive cycling sessions
• Ride Leaders and First Aiders (progression roles)
• Meet and Greet volunteers
• Bike maintenance (all levels)
• Marketing, website, and social media support
• Trustees and governance roles

We provide vital information, advice, and holistic support to people with life-changing illnesses or long-term conditions, as well as their families and carers. From our base at the Pear Tree Centre in Halesworth, we support people across East Suffolk and neighbouring areas of Mid Suffolk and South Norfolk.

We offer everything from a welcoming cup of tea and a listening ear to professional counselling sessions. Working closely with voluntary organisations, community groups, and partner charities, we help ensure the right support is in place for the whole family.

• Supporting visitors and service users at our Pear Tree Centre drop-in sessions
• Helping run wellbeing groups such as exercise, art therapy, cooking, and coffee mornings
• Gardening in our centre grounds with our volunteer gardening team
• Supporting fundraising events and community activities
• Volunteering at our charity shop, Dees Den, in Halesworth (shop floor and donations sorting)

We are a charity developing a large sports complex on the former middle school site in Halesworth. We are about to begin construction on the first phase which comprises a 3G all-weather pitch and a full-size grass rugby pitch. We are starting to plan our second phase which will include a gym, changing facilities, a cafe, studios and exterior landscaping with trim trail, a performance space, a playground and an al fresco eating area.