Van Driver and Helper Volunteer

The Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance (DF4TA) was formed to help eliminate food poverty using a coordinated approach, with voluntary and community organisations supported by Derby City Council and the statutory & business sectors working together to form an effective partnership in the city.

The DF4TA is about getting to the root causes of people’s needs and recognises that the solution is about more than just food - people don’t have money to buy food because of a range of wider issues, including debt, homelessness and health issues. The DF4TA aims to offer a holistic approach and help to people break out of the cycle of food poverty by offering information, advice and guidance, as well as food.

The Role

We need volunteers to drive the DF4TA van to collect food donations and deliver to groups we support.

Collecting surplus food from Costco every Wed and Thurs. It is then delivered and shared between the groups that we support.
Arrival at the Central Storage Unit (CSU) is 9:30am. Expected finish time for Wed is 1pm and Thurs 12pm.
Collect food donations from Morrisons every Wed after the Costco collection.
Help to keep the stores clean and tidy, clean the inside of the van after each use.
Follow basic food hygiene procedures when handling unpackaged food items.
You will assist in the training of new volunteers by allowing them to buddy up with you and offer guidance within the role.
Feed-in to Food 4 Thought decisions and keep up to date with developments by attending regular team meetings and engaging in training.

Time Commitment

There is a set time commitment for this role - 9:30am start till the collections/deliveries are finished. You can choose the days you wish to support, as we run on a 2 monthly rota, which is done in advance.
This volunteering opportunity is ongoing and not time limited.
We will arrange a suitable time for you to come in so we can check that staff are around to support you.

Skills and Experience Required

A full driving license – ideally clean.
Confident to drive a medium-sized van (experience is preferable).
Able to use a Sat Nav system.
Positive, friendly and personable, interacting well with different people.
Able to perform physical tasks including lifting and loading.
Friendly and approachable personality .
You will be meeting a wide range of people from different backgrounds. To ensure that they all receive the same level of service, we ask that you comply with our Equal Opportunities Policy.
This role is suitable for people aged 21+.
Experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds would be useful but not essential.

Getting Support

You will receive a full induction and training to give you the skills to do this role. You will then get a buddy from our team of experienced volunteers to support you in the role and offer guidance.
There will be a member of staff available to provide you with ongoing support whilst you are in the role. You will also be given regular opportunities to give and receive feedback on a more formal basis. At no point will you be expected to provide a service without the support of a trained member of staff.

We Will Provide

Any equipment needed for the role.
Out of pocket expenses for travel, to be paid on a reimbursement basis. If this causes difficulties we will make alternative arrangements.

Getting It Right

We hope volunteering is a positive experience for you. We’ll review this task description with you after a three-month trial period. There may be some changes we can make together to make the role more suitable. If we can’t do this, or if we think you’re not suited to the role, we’ll discuss this with you and offer other opportunities either within the Food 4 Thought Alliance, or signpost you to the Volunteer Centre at Community Action Derby to look for alternative roles with other organisations.

Download the role description (36.68 KB)