Volunteer Groups in North Shields

North Shields runs on volunteers more than most people realise. The lifeboat that launches from the Fish Quay is crewed by them, the borough's foodbank depends on them, and the town's two best-loved heritage attractions would struggle to open their doors without them. If you have a few hours a week (or even a few a month) to give, there is a good chance a local group would be glad to hear from you. Here is our guide to volunteering in North Shields, and where to start.

Start here: North Tyneside VODA

If you are not sure what you want to do, begin with North Tyneside VODA, the borough's voluntary sector support charity. Its volunteer centre helps people find a role that suits their interests and the time they can spare, and offers extra support for anyone who needs help overcoming barriers to volunteering. Opportunities across North Tyneside, including plenty in North Shields, are listed on its Volunteer Plus database, which you can search by area and type of role. VODA's office is in the Wallsend Community Hub, but the advice is borough-wide and you can phone or email rather than visit.

Best for: anyone who wants to volunteer but has not yet decided where.

Tynemouth RNLI

Despite the name, Tynemouth RNLI operates from the Fish Quay in North Shields, just inside the mouth of the Tyne. It runs a Severn class all-weather lifeboat and a D class inshore boat, providing a round-the-clock search and rescue service, and its crew of around 29 are all volunteers from ordinary walks of life. Crew roles demand time, fitness and availability close to the station, but the RNLI also relies on volunteers ashore for fundraising and visits. Current vacancies are posted on the RNLI's own volunteering pages.

Best for: people who live or work near the Fish Quay and want to give something back to the sea.

The Bay Foodbank

On Meadow Well Way, The Bay Foodbank describes itself as the only foodbank serving the whole of North Tyneside, providing emergency food parcels on referral as well as supporting school breakfast clubs and running a food waste diversion programme. It needs a steady supply of volunteers: drivers (a vehicle is provided), drivers' assistants, warehouse assistants, front-of-house greeters and occasional helpers for supermarket collection days. You can move between roles once you have started, and there is an online volunteering form on its website. Businesses can also arrange corporate volunteering days.

Best for: practical, hands-on volunteering with an immediate local impact.

The Meadows

A few doors along on Waterville Road, The Meadows (formerly Meadow Well Connected) is a community charity with a large hub and a five-acre community garden in the heart of the Meadow Well estate. Its volunteers help in the garden, teach IT and employability skills, support adults who use its day service, help with the after-school club and staff the reception desk. If you like the idea of volunteering outdoors, the garden is one of the best green volunteering options in the town.

Best for: gardeners, and anyone who wants to help a neighbourhood charity close up.

Heritage volunteering

North Shields has a deep history and two attractions where volunteers are at the heart of things. (For more on both, see our guide to local museums.)

Old Low Light Heritage Centre

The Old Low Light Heritage Centre at Clifford's Fort is run by the local charity The Net, with a small staff team supported by a large group of volunteers. Volunteers welcome visitors, serve in the café, act as gallery guides, lead walks and talks, and research and curate the exhibitions on the Fish Quay's story. The centre says it can be flexible about time commitment, which makes it a good fit if you can only offer the odd shift.

Best for: local history enthusiasts and people who enjoy chatting to visitors.

Stephenson Steam Railway

Up on Middle Engine Lane, Stephenson Steam Railway relies on the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association, whose volunteer members maintain the locomotives and rolling stock and operate the trains, in roles from driver and fireman to guard and shunter. All training is provided. There are also roles in the learning team, tea room, carriage and wagon workshop and woodland garden, some with minimum ages (16 or 18 depending on the role). The railway holds volunteer recruitment open days, and roles are also advertised through VODA.

Best for: anyone who has always wanted to work on a steam railway.

Supporting older people and people with cancer

Age UK North Tyneside, based at the Bradbury Centre on Saville Street West, recruits befriending volunteers who visit an isolated older person at home for about an hour a week, and telephone befrienders who make one or two calls a week, either from home or from the Bradbury Centre. Volunteers are matched for at least six months, receive training and a DBS check, and are supported by a befriending coordinator. Other roles have included walk leaders and neighbourhood network volunteers.

On Nile Street, Live Well with Cancer is a small local charity supporting people living with or beyond cancer, along with their families and carers. Its volunteer team is modest, so it is best to get in touch directly and ask what help it needs.

Best for: reliable, good listeners who can commit to a regular weekly slot.

Parks and green spaces

Northumberland Park has a group of volunteers who carry out conservation and horticultural tasks across the park on a weekly basis, working alongside the park's wardens and the Friends of Northumberland Park. North Tyneside Council suggests contacting the park wardens to get involved. See our parks and green spaces guide for more about the park itself.

Tips before you sign up

• Be honest about your time. A small, regular commitment is usually more useful to a group than an ambitious one you cannot keep up.
• Expect checks for some roles. Anything involving children or vulnerable adults, such as befriending, will need a DBS check, which the organisation normally arranges.
• Ask about expenses. It is worth asking whether reasonable travel costs are reimbursed before you start.
• Try before you commit. Open days, taster sessions and one-off collection days are a good way to see if a group suits you.

Volunteer with a North Shields group we have missed? Let us know and we will add it.