For information on how to undertake voluntary work in Lancaster, Morecambe and district, go to CVS - the Council for Voluntary Service at Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster LA1 1JZ.

CVS reception is open 9.30am - 4.30pm Tuesday - Friday
(contact by telephone and email only on Mondays).
CVS also offer regular training classes in many useful aspects of volunteering and voluntary organisations.

Tel: (01524) 555900. Fax: (01524) 68988

VOLUNTEER WITH US
Volunteer Services
Tel main office: - 01257 248118
Main Office: Bungalow One, Weldbank House, Weldbank Lane, Chorley, PR7 3NW
Volunteer.Services@SSD.LancasCC.Gov.Uk
www.openingdoors.lancashire.gov.uk
Support vulnerable adults on a one to one basis in the community. Help varieties of people with, Learning disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Mental Health and carers. We need your support to make a difference to someone's life by going to the cinema, offering the carer a break, going for a coffee, or popping round for a chat. If you live in the Lancaster area and can spare few hours a week/fortnight. Please contact Volunteer Services for more information.

WANT TO VOLUNTEER? GETTING STARTED

This section lists organisations that offer information on current volunteering opportunities, help match you up to the opportunity that suits your interests and availability, and offer ongoing support.

Lancaster District Council for Voluntary Service
Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street,
Lancaster LA1 1JZ
Tel: 01524 63760 Fax: 01524 68988
Email: mail[at]lancastercvs.org.uk
Reg. Charity No. 502265
Lancaster District Council for Voluntary Service provides support to local voluntary organisations, encourages organisations to work together, and provides a service to people who want to volunteer.

Lancashire County Council Volunteer Service
Volunteers are a valuable part of our services. They can often relate to people who use our services on a more personal and flexible level because they are not paid members of staff.
We are looking for reliable and responsible people who have some time to spare to provide friendship and support to socially isolated service users.
Volunteering can involve: Visiting someone at home; Participating in leisure and community activities; Providing practical or emotional support; Supporting a carer.
We offer: work experience with adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems, physical disabilities or older adults; out of pocket expenses; support from a member of staff; training.
Tel: 01524 585542 for local information or email: volunteer.services@ssd.lancscc.gov.uk

Lancaster University Volunteering Unit
Alexandra Square, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4XX
Ben Matthews Co-ordinator
Tel: 01525 592828 Fax: 01524 846732 Internal Phone: 92828
E-mail: luvu[at]lancaster.ac.uk

LOCAL VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

Animal Care
Blea Tarn Kennels, Blea Tarn Road, Scotforth, Lancaster
LA2 0RD
Animal Care Charity Shop. 40 Claremont Road, Morecambe,
LA4 4HL. Tel:01524 65495. Open Tue - Sat 9am - 3.30pm.
If you'd like to volunteer to help in the sanctuary or the Morecambe charity shop, tel: 01524 65495 (11am-3pm) or email: vanessa@animalcare-lancaster.co.uk.

Citizens' Advice Bureau
Your Opportunity to make a real difference..
..and provide a service informing people of their legal rights and responsibilities and to influence the development of social policies and services both locally and nationally.
Volunteers at Lancaster Citizens' Advice Bureau receive excellent training to help achieve these aims. We wish to increase the number of advisers at the Bureau. In return for your time we offer nationally recognised training, the opportunity for personal development and invaluable experience.
We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are keen to diversify our volunteer staff.
Contact us today. Email: enquiries@lancastercab.org

Furniture Matters
Thornton Rd, Morecambe. Tel; 01524 427300
Recycles furniture, electrical appliances + bicycles for people on a low income.
Need volunteers for driving, deliveries, admin + cleaning.

Homeless Action
Edward Street, Lancaster. Tel: 01524 842008

Lancaster & District Conservation Volunteers
Set up in 1984 as an autonomous local group within the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, we are now members of BTCV's Community Network. We work to improve the quality of the local environment for community benefit. Some of our projects include tree planting and maintenance, fencing, drystone walling, hedge laying and footpath management.
Benefits of becoming a member include skills training, minibus pick-ups to and from work sites and working with a friendly group of volunteers of all ages.
Workdays are Sundays (usually fortnightly).
For further information telephone David & Liz Alexander (Project Organisers) 01524 412938 (evenings 7-9 pm).
See Virtual Lancaster's What's On This Month page to keep up to date with our next work days' activities or telephone Sylvia Cooper (Secretary) on 01524 411159 for a current programme.

Lancashire Mentor Point
Lancashire Mentor Point, Lancashire EBP, Darwen House
Guide, Blackburn.
Tel: 01254 584090
Lancashire Mentor Point is looking for volunteers who can offer two hours a week as mentors for: students still in secondary and primary education; 16 to 24 year olds seeking employment or further education opportunities; young offenders and young people in danger of offending; young students who have poor attendance at school; and people of all ages who need someone just to talk to.

Leonard Cheshire is looking for volunteers to link up with individuals with disabilities and to spend time with them on a regular basis either in their own home or out in the community.
Leonard Cheshire’s North West Care at Home Services.
Natalie Searle, Volunteer Co-ordinator, (natalie.searle@lc-uk.org) or Joe Cobb, Sociability Co-ordinator (joe.cobb@lc-uk.org), Leonard Cheshire, North West Community Services (North), Derby House, Lytham Road, Fulwood, Preston PR2 8JE. Tel: 01772 772 207

Your local Direct Payments Support Group needs You!
Helping people who need support at home to get Direct Payments and employ their own carers.
People who need social care can receive Direct Payments to
employ their own staff. This allows more control and flexibility and can be life changing to many people.
However, some struggle to access DP and poor management can lead to their scheme breaking down.
It can be confusing and very overwhelming but...
You can volunteer your time to support new DP users to access the scheme.
Lancashire Support Services are setting up a Peer Support Group in your area. This is your chance to assist disabled people and their families with admin work, giving advice or just moral support.
You will be given training around Direct Payments and out of pocket expenses will be paid. Other volunteers will support you and you only have to give up a few hours each week at a local office.
Gain experience and develop skills in Direct Payments; Admin work; communication and negotiation skills; Supporting People and much more, which will help if you’re going into a people based career or you just want a rewarding
experience!
If you think you would enjoy making a real difference in your local community and enjoying yourself with new people, then contact us today using the details below.:
Lancashire Support Services,
Preston Technology Management Centre
Cooper Road, off Marsh Lane,
Preston, Lancashire, PR1 8UQ
Tel: 01772 250 300
Fax: 01772 250 288
E: frances@lancashiresupportservices.info
www.peersupport.info

Thomas (Those on the margins of Society)
We are hoping to recruit and train people to visit and befriend prisoners in Lancaster Castle. You need to be regularly available on weekday afternoons for at least an hour. Tel: 01524 59240 for more details.

virtual-lancaster (this website)
Email We have jobs for the sociable - and for the more reclusive too. We need people with technical skills to improve the site facilities and we need people who like going out to review entertainments for us. We need news stories and written opinions on local issues and we need pictures too. And if you can't think what you'd like to do, email us with your phone number and we'll have a chat anyway.

WRVS
The WRVS Hospital Library Service needs volunteers (men & women) to help out with the cafe and shop at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. This is a service that makes a huge difference to thousands of people - if you've ever spent hours hanging around the Intensive Care Unit waiting to find out if a loved one is going to come out in one piece, then you'll know those WRVS cafes are a lifeline of sanity. And if you've ever drunk hospital machine tea, you'll know just how foul life can be when the cafe is closed. So if you've a morning or afternoon to spare, please help keep it open and phone 0845 6014670 (local rates).

First responders
First responders are people who live in rural areas trained to give provide immediate and possibly life saving help in a medical emergency until paramedics can get there and take over. Their work is known to reduce the deaths and damage caused by heart attacks. However more are needed in the Hest Bank and Bolton-le-Sands areas. If are interested in finding out more about their work and if it might be the thing for you, call 07843585102