Volunteer with us


Bolton Hospice is always looking for new faces to bring different skills and qualities into the hospice and our charity shops; no matter your circumstances and background there is a volunteer role to suit you!

When you become a Bolton Hospice volunteer, you're not only helping us to continue caring for local people living with life-limiting illnesses, and their families, you're giving yourself the opportunity to learn new skills, grow in confidence, and make life-long friends. You'll receive lots of training and support to help you thrive in your new role, and be immediately welcomed into our wonderful community of existing volunteers.

If you'd like to volunteer with us but are unsure which role would be the best fit, please get in touch with us to discuss the different opportunities in more detail. For shop volunteering opportunities contact our shops team at shopsco-ordinator@boltonhospice.org or on 01204 663063, or for hospice volunteering opportunities contact Lisa Honeywell, at lisa.honeywell@boltonhospice.org or on 01204 663066.

Charity Shop Volunteer Opportunities:


Shop Volunteer

As a charity shop volunteer you’ll help run one of our charity shops; sorting stock, replenishing the shop floor and selling donated items to our loyal customers. 

Furniture Plus Volunteer

There are a number of Furniture Plus volunteer roles available, all of which are vital in helping to run the store. Whether you're interested in helping on the shop floor, marketing and selling donated items, or feel more comfortable 'in the background' as a warehouse volunteer or PAT tester, there's a role for you!

eBay/Online Sales Volunteer

As an eBay/Online Sales Volunteer you’ll support our charity shops by; logging donations to be sold online, researching goods and assisting with online listings, preparing items and assisting with postage once sold. 

Van Driver Volunteer

As a volunteer Van Driver, you will be busy collecting donations from across the borough of Bolton and delivering back to our shops to be sold. We also have volunteer Drivers' Mates to assist with collections if this is a role you are interested in. 

The Old Bank Cafe Volunteer

At The Old Bank Cafe, volunteers will be serving customers, preparing food such as sandwiches, paninis and beverages and ensuring the cleanliness of the cafe. Take a look at our cafe page by clicking here.

To apply to any of these shop volunteer opportunities, please click here to complete an online application form, or to find out more about the available roles call us for a chat on 01204 663 063.

Hospice Volunteer Opportunities:


Ward Volunteer

This volunteer role involves providing a service to patients and their visitors, with tasks such as making drinks, helping to serve meals and keeping ward areas tidy. Sitting and chatting with patients and their visitors, if wanted, is also part of the role. Shifts are available from 8.30am - 8pm every day and are generally three hours long.

*PLEASE NOTE OUR STUDENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ARE CURRENTLY FULL & WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS. PLEASE CHECK BACK SOON*
We take students from the age of 16, usually in year 12, hoping to do something in the medical field. Students cover shifts in the evening and weekends. Please note we do NOT offer short term placements of a few weeks. 

Wellbeing Hub Volunteer

For planned day therapy and drop-in support the Wellbeing Hub is currently is open weekdays, Tuesday to Thursday, and offers access to specialist services such as symptom management, legal advice & benefits clinics, bereavement support, outpatient clinics, and wellbeing sessions such as mindfulness and yoga. Volunteers assist by helping to set up, meeting and greeting new patients, helping with refreshments, joining in activities and generally giving attention and support to patients.

Reception Volunteer

We aim to cover the main reception area all day Saturday and Sunday, plus weekday evenings. Duties are mainly to answer the telephone, take messages to pass on, welcome and appropriately direct visitors and undertake general clerical duties when necessary.

*CURRENT VACANCIES* We are urgently looking for volunteers to cover reception on a Friday 6.30pm-8.30pm & every other Sunday 9.00am-1.30pm starting from April. Could you help? For more information please email us or call 01204 663066.

We have a separate reception in the Wellbeing Hub, which is open Tuesday to Thursday. Duties include welcoming day patients and outpatients, directing visitors and taking messages.  

We also have a Reception in Giles House, our fundraising centre, which is open from 10am - 4pm, Monday to Friday. Duties include taking donations, directing visitors and taking messages for staff, as well as small clerical duties for the Fundraising department.

Spiritual Care Volunteer

The Hospice Spiritual Care lead has a team of valued spiritual care volunteers whose role is to provide pastoral, spiritual and religious care and support to our patients, their loved ones, carers and staff. They build up strong relationships by listening and empathising with the patients they interact with and have a good knowledge of spiritual issues.

Bereavement Support Volunteer

As a Bereavement Support volunteer at Bolton Hospice, you will conduct support sessions with people who are dealing with a bereavement, helping them through life's most difficult situations.  These sessions are done on a 1:1 basis as well as group sessions.

Garden Volunteer

We have a fantastic team of volunteer gardeners who maintain our hospice grounds and gardens on a weekly basis, ensuring they look tidy and attractive for all visitors and patients. They work hard in all weather to make sure the scene outside of the hospice windows is a welcoming and eye-catching one!

Work experience

** Please note we are not able to accept work experience applications at present, but we will update this page when we are able to have Year 10’s in again for a work experience week. **

We have a limited number of work experience opportunities for students in Year 10 who are taking part in school work experience schemes.

Please note: we do not offer short term placements for students under 16 years of age doing D of E.

For more information about any of these roles, please contact Lisa Honeywell, Volunteer Co-ordinator, at lisa.honeywell@boltonhospice.org or on 01204 663 066.

Fundraising Volunteer Opportunities


Mascot Volunteer

One of the most fun volunteer roles available at Bolton Hospice is donning a wonderful costume and becoming Cyril the Squirrel at our fundraising events. Cyril is responsible for entertaining crowds and guests at events, the occasional photo-call and generally spreading joy wherever he goes.

Events And Collections Volunteer

Volunteers required on an ad hoc basis to assist with bucket collections, bag packs and manning stalls at community events.
Collections can take place at supermarkets, comedy nights and sporting events whilst community events can include anything from fashion shows to summer fairs to local music festivals. We have something to suit everybody!

Community Fundraising Volunteer

You will represent and promote the hospice's work in the community, attending events and cheque presentations, manning hospice stalls at community events and inspiring others to fundraise for Bolton Hospice.

To express an interest in a fundraising volunteer opportunity, or to find out more about the roles, please get in touch with our fundraising team at fundraising@boltonhospice.org or on 01204 663 065.

I am so proud of what I have achieved and feel so happy to now have a purpose. I get up each morning with a big smile on my face and look forward to helping and feeling useful.

Keith, Shop Volunteer