A SOMERSET charity has issued an urgent appeal for volunteers.

St Margaret's Hospice is looking for people to help with fundraising events this year.

The charity, which provides care and support for more than 5,000 people in Somerset, is looking for people with interpersonal skills, enthusiasm who are reliable and responsible.

Kerry Baillie, community partnerships fundraiser for St Margaret’s, said: “Volunteers are an essential part of fundraising here at St Margaret’s, helping us raise vital funds to allow the hospice services to be freely available to the community of Somerset.

“We are grateful for your help and there are lots of opportunities to get involved in; whether it be manning a stall at one of our hospice led events, representing the hospice out and about at community events or at a supermarket bucket collection, or even if you just have a few hours a month to spare displaying posters in your local area – your support really does help.

"There is never a dull moment and at St Margaret’s Hospice Care we do our best to put the fun into fundraising.”

There are many different roles available including:

  • Serving teas and coffees
  • Stewarding or marshalling
  • Sourcing prizes for raffles and auctions
  • Setting up or packing down before and after an event
  • Selling merchandise or raffle tickets at events
  • Promoting fundraising events in your local area by delivering posters, leaflets and newsletters to local shops, community noticeboards, libraries, village halls or GP surgeries
  • Providing admin support, from stuffing envelopes to making follow up phone calls

Kara Frampton, area manager for community partnerships at St Margaret’s, added: “Whatever amount of time you can commit, whether that’s an hour a year or five hours a week, rest assured you will be contributing to support our patients and their families.

“We have a very small fundraising team, so having volunteer support at our fundraising events and activities ensures that we can raise awareness and reach more people in Somerset who need to access our services.

"We are looking for volunteers who will share our passion and act as ambassadors for St Margaret’s Hospice Care.”

All volunteers will be given a full induction, and will receive regular updates from the team. As well as this, they will be given training to help with their particular role.

Ellie Weston, marketing and events officer at St Margaret’s, said: “At St Margaret’s Hospice, we depend on volunteers at our events, as they not only help us keep costs down, but they create an exciting atmosphere for our participants.

"Volunteering for us provides you with an opportunity to make a real difference to our patients and their families but also helps broaden your skills, knowledge, and experience.

“We will work with you to find a role you are comfortable with but if you are enthusiastic and have a passion for helping the community, we would love to welcome you to our team!”

If you are interested, email kara.frampton@st-margarets-hospice.org.uk to find out more.