Kitchen volunteer role profile

We're looking for volunteers to support our staff Cooks in the Hospice kitchen on a weekly or fortnightly basis. You need to be available 10am - 1pm on either Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. 

Volunteer role: Kitchen volunteer          

Volunteer supervisor: Cooks

About Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice: 

Bluebell Wood offers care for children and young people in South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, North Lincolnshire and North Derbyshire with a vast range of complex medical needs. We provide support, respite, care in the community and end of life care. Sibling support is also at the heart of our work, as well as counselling, wellbeing and bereavement services.

You can find out more about how we help children and their families here.

About this role:

We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals to help staff maintain the efficient running of the kitchen. You will volunteer as part of a team providing catering services to children and young people and their families and to staff, within the hospice. This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to meet new people and make a real difference to the families that visit Bluebell Wood.

Key tasks:

Below are outlined a range of roles we require you to assist with:

• Preparation of food ready for cooking
• Preparation of sandwiches and salad boxes
• Clearing away plates and crockery after meals from upstairs and downstairs staff areas
• Delivery of meals to staff upstairs
• Delivery of drinks to meeting rooms, events and volunteers
• Washing up and loading /emptying dish washer
• Keeping the kitchen area tidy
• Helping to keep store-room tidy and clean
• Removing rubbish to appropriate areas
• Other tasks as appropriate as directed by our Cook.

What we are looking for:

• Volunteers who have a few hours to spare each week to support the kitchen staff
• Friendly

• Willing to be part of a team

• Good communication skills as you will be meeting with families, staff and visitors
• A need to understand the sensitive and confidential work which is carried out at the hospice
• Confidentiality and respect for families, staff, fellow volunteers and visitors

• Enjoy volunteering in a kitchen environment
• Able to cope well under pressure
• Able to operate kitchen equipment, under supervision

What we offer:

• The opportunity to develop new and existing skills

• The chance to be in a voluntary role which contributes significantly to providing a special environment for our families
• The opportunity to meet new people and be part of an enthusiastic team
• General training will be provided by your supervisor but specific training courses will be provided from time to time and some of these will be mandatory
• Expenses agreed in advance with your supervisor
• Free tea and coffee
• Free meal if volunteering across lunchtime.

Mandatory covid vaccinations:

• For this role volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (2 + vaccinations and booster), unless medically exempt.
• If successfully recruited as a volunteer, you will be required to provide evidence (NHS Covid Pass) so that proof of covid vaccinations or medical exemption can be recorded securely and confidentially, in line with GDPR.

General:

Bluebell Wood volunteers are asked to:

• Be a minimum of 18 years old
• Have a Disclosure & Barring check (DBS) generated by the hospice (Standard level required for this role)
• Complete e-learning training & Induction Training
• Adhere to all hospice policies and procedures
• Abide by the Health & Safety at Work Act
• Respect confidentiality applying to all hospice areas
• Be polite and respectful to everyone you meet whilst volunteering in this role
• Act in a professional manner at all times
• Co-operate and liaise with your team

Additional Information:

• All volunteers handling food must cover their hair (including any facial hair) with hair nets provided. No jewellery except wedding rings can be worn whilst volunteering due to hygiene reasons.
• Please be aware that if you do not have your own transport, or live locally, the hospice is very difficult to get to by public transport. If in doubt, please check buses etc to see if it is feasible for you to volunteer here. We are over one mile from the nearest bus stop.

Bluebell Wood is committed to safe volunteer recruitment practices. A Standard level DBS is required for this role. Covid-19 vaccinations are required for this role, unless medically exempt.

Download an application form