Volunteer with us

Volunteers play a vital role at the RSPCA Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Branch. We are lucky to have an amazing team of volunteers who help with every aspect of ensuring the success of our charity.

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Volunteers

Working together 

As we are a self-funded, independent branch of the RSPCA, fundraising is a huge part of the work we undertake. We couldn’t continue to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome the almost 600 animals that come through our doors each year without the support of our local community. Did you know that it costs around £1,200 per day to keep our centre running?

We encourage all of our volunteers to contribute a few shifts per year towards fundraising and advocating our charity. This may include attending a store or street collection for a couple of hours or helping out at one or more of our fantastic events. There are so many opportunities to get involved.

Why volunteer?

There are many benefits to becoming a volunteer with the RSPCA, not only for our animals but also for you; from learning new skills to help with your career, to building friendships with like-minded people that share your enthusiasm for animal welfare.

Volunteering for a good cause such as ours has been proven to:

  • Improve your physical and mental health; especially working with animals

  • Help you build confidence and self-esteem

  • Give you some fantastic experience for your CV

As a member of our caring and dynamic team you will have the opportunity to volunteer in a fun environment at the heart of the local community and you’ll be making a huge difference to the welfare of animals whilst you do it. 

You will receive specific training, guidance and support relevant to your role as well as an opportunity to develop your current skills, alongside gaining new ones. 

Whatever your motivation for volunteering one thing is certain – it’s a truly rewarding experience.

Frequently asked questions about volunteering

Yes, the minimum age for all volunteering is 18. The minimum age for our driving volunteers is 21.

We cannot offer short-term placements however if you wish to join our team long-term, these hours can still go towards your Duke of Edinburgh Award and/or student placement requirements. 

If you are under the age of 18 but would still like to earn your volunteering hours with us, did you know you can do this through fundraising for our charity? Find out more.

You can complete your volunteering activity by fundraising for us or getting sponsorship to complete a challenge. We’ve got loads of great ideas for fundraising.

We advertise all our current volunteer roles on our website. 

If your preferred role isn’t advertised, we’d still love to hear from you. Our team can advise on volunteering and help to match you to the right role. Once you have joined us as a volunteer it may then be possible to work in other areas as opportunities become available.

You can contact us at volunteering@chesterfield-rspca.org.uk

Some of our volunteering opportunities require you to commit to a regular shift, but others are more flexible with no minimum commitment. Please see the individual roles for more information on this so you can find a role that suits you. 

Alternatively, a member of our team can talk to you about what you can offer and hopefully find you a role to fit around your schedule – any time you can give to us is hugely appreciated!

We want our volunteer teams to represent the diversity of our local community and encourage anyone interested to apply.

For example, if you are retired and have some spare time, we will welcome your experience and skills; students can volunteer to gain experience to enhance their career prospects or you may want to boost your confidence and make new friends. Whatever your background, volunteering can have a positive impact on your life and make a real difference.

At present we are unable to offer corporate group volunteering.

Generally, as a small local charity, we are unable to pay expenses for people wishing to volunteer. There may however be some roles or situations in which out of pocket expenses are covered and we would provide details where applicable.