Do you want to be part of an innovative, passionate and dedicated team? Join us in our mission to save lives at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.
Volunteers are valued members of the team at EHAAT. They help at our offices, in our charity shops and at fundraising events. As well as making a difference by supporting the charity’s life-saving work, volunteers get the satisfaction of being part of a group of people who are supporting the same cause.
Charity volunteering is a great way of showing prospective employers that you do something meaningful in your spare time. As well as using your existing skills, you can gain experience, uncover hidden talents and meet new people. You’ll be given training appropriate to your role, and you will learn about how EHAAT is run and the work we do before you start.
Our current range of volunteer opportunities is listed below, with details of what each role involves. Whether you are able to help regularly every week, or just occasionally, the Volunteer Team would be pleased to hear from you.
Types of Volunteer Positions
Please find a list of current open volunteer positions at EHAAT:
- Retail Volunteer – all sites
- Now recruiting for a new shop – Chelmsford, opening 2027
- Driver Support Volunteer – from Stevenage
- Driver and Event Setup Volunteer
- Public Speaking Volunteer
- Visitor Centre Experience Host
- Tin Collector Volunteer: Mersea, Benfleet, Hockley & North Rayleigh, Harwich
- Earls Colne Reception Volunteer
- Fundraising Team Support Volunteer
We use the online volunteer management platform Volunteero to share and allocate community volunteering opportunities. Please proceed with your application only if you are able to access and use Volunteero to manage your volunteering.
We are looking for volunteers aged 16+ to assist our Shop Managers in our Charity Shops.
Key Volunteer Activities:
- Based at one of our charity Shops
- Assisting with the donations of stock, by sorting and steaming and preparing for shop floor
- Maintaining good stock rotation and levels at all times
- Helping with visual merchandising when needed
- Greeting customers in a friendly and approachable manner
- Understanding the Charities key standards and Values
- Becoming familiar with our Health and Safety Policies and being able to convey these to other volunteers
- Assisting the Shop Manager on daily tasks such as banking and stock takes, recycling and shop rotas
- Maintaining a clean and tidy work place which encourages a happy environment to work in
- Commitment to being part of a regular rota
- Giving any other assistance in relation to the smooth running of the shop as may requested by the Shop Manager
- We also have some specialist retail volunteering roles in our shops and warehouse e.g. helping with e-commerce
- Our shifts are 4 hours but we have a flexible approach so can work around the hours available to you. Regular sign-up to the rota is appreciated. However, ideally we would like you be able to cover 2 or 3 shifts a week
- Our charity shops are in Basildon, Braintree, Buntingford, Burnham-on-Sea, Canvey Island, Eastwood, Hemel Hempstead, Hitchin, Letchworth, Mersea, Royston, and Stevenage. We also have a warehouse in Stevenage.
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to attend various events in their local community to help raise much needed funds and awareness.
Key Volunteer Activities:
- Attending local events to sell branded charity merchandise
- Participating in a bucket collection
- Receive donations on behalf of the Charity
- Promote the charity and inspire people to support EHAAT
- Wearing our mascot costumes
Volunteer Description:
- Flexible – ideally we would like you to be able to commit to 1 event per month
- Based in and around your local area
How to apply
Not currently taking new applications
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to help us transport donations to and from our retail sites.
Key Volunteer Activities:
- Assisting our Retial Driver on his rounds.
Volunteer Description:
- This role is flexible with hours to suit however assistance is needed for several hours at a time.
- Based in Stevenage.
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to help us transport materials to and from events as well as assist in setting up and dismantling equipment.
Key Volunteer Activities:
- Collecting merchandise boxes and equipment (gazebo, tables, chairs etc) from our office and delivering these either to an event or to another volunteer.
- Assist with setting up at the event and help with the erection of the gazebo.
- Return at the end of the event to help pack away and dismantle equipment.
- Return merchandise and equipment back to the office.
Volunteer Description:
- This role is flexible with hours to suit however assistance with events is normally needed on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
- Based in and around your local area.
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ who are confident public speakers to deliver our presentation at various events in the local community.
Key Volunteer Activities:
- To speak to the public and raise awareness about the vital work of our Charity
- Deliver bespoke presentations to diverse groups of people. This could be businesses, schools or community groups
- Inspire groups to support EHAAT
Volunteer Description:
- This role is flexible and we will fit ourselves around you.
- Based in and around your local area.
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to be part of a team delivering our Visitor Centre Experience at our airbases in Earls Colne and North Weald.
Key Volunteer Activities:
- Welcome individuals and groups to the Visitor Centre
- Ensure the visitor centre is clean and tidy before and after each visit
- Deliver presentations to diverse groups of people, sometimes including young children
- Facilitate Meet the Crew and see the helicopter (if available)
- Raise awareness of the Charity and inspire people to support EHAAT, through fundraising etc.
- Serve refreshments to guests
- Selling merchandise
Volunteer Description:
- This role is flexible with Visitor Centre Experience booked across the whole week. Visitor Centre Experience usually last two hours with half an hour either side for set up and clear down.
- Our Airbases are located at Earls Colne and North Weald.
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to distribute, collect and monitor our collection tins in the local community.
Key Volunteer Activities:
- Coordinate the regular collection and distribution of tins
- Identify potential sites to display new collection tins
- Deliver collection tins to the agreed locations and ensure necessary paperwork is completed.
- Follow up on tins 2-3 times a year, or when required, to assess whether they are full and need collecting and replacing.
- Cleaning and maintaining the collection tins (you will be provided with all the information and resources to do this)
Volunteer Description:
- The role is flexible and we fit ourselves around you. You can take on as many tins as you feel you can manage.
- Based in and around your local area.
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to help at our Earls Colne Head Office to join a rota to man the reception desk.
Key Volunteer activities:
- Be the first point of contact and provide a friendly meet and greet service to all visitors entering the building including EHAAT staff, volunteers, supporters, patients and their families, general public and suppliers
- Ensure that all visitors to the building follow the signing in and out procedure and that they are briefed on any appropriate health and safety procedures whilst in the building and that they are handed over to appropriate staff or volunteers
- Prepare and tidy meeting rooms when required
- Provide refreshments to visitors as appropriate/requested
- Provide directions to our Visitor Centre as appropriate
- Accept deliveries and notifying the relevant departments
- Maintain the reception area, ensuring that it is always tidy, and appropriately stocked with leaflets and everyday cards
- Process payments for everyday cards
- Support staff with opening post if required
- Franking post ready for collection
- Help in the Cash Office if required
- Assist our staff with administrative tasks as required
How much time will you need to commit?
We are looking for volunteers to cover our office opening hours of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Morning shifts are 9am – 1pm and afternoon shifts are 12.30pm – 5pm.
Ideally, you will commit to volunteering with us for one shift per week, however we are flexible and would also be pleased to have volunteers on the team who can only help out from time to time.
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to join a small team of volunteers able to support internal and external parties hosting events at our North Weald airbase. This involve looking after people on site. Visitors will mainly be using the Explorer Suite, Bolkow Boardroom and Clinical Learning Suite at our North Weald offices. On occasion guests may also use the Visitor Centre or, with prior approval, need escorted access to the hangar.
Key Volunteer activities could include the following:
- Meeting and greeting guests
- Providing an orientation of the building including safety
- Car parking marshal duty
- Serving refreshments
- Being on hand to help with room set-up and ad hoc requests
- Selling branded charity merchandise
- Showing people around the Visitor Centre (orientation of the room only), including the helicopter viewing area
- Promote the charity and inspire people to support EHAAT
How much time will you need to commit?
This role is flexible as to sign up, but on occasion it may be whole days by arrangement. Events take place across the week including evenings and weekends.
Where will you be based?
Our North Weald airbase.
How to apply
Not currently taking new applications
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to help with admin at our Earls Colne Head Office.
Key Volunteer activities:
- Assist staff with administrative tasks
- Data entry
- Making supporter phone calls
- Preparing supporter packs
- Franking post ready for collection
- Some manual requests e.g. sorting kit
How much time will you need to commit?
A few hours a week
How to apply
We are looking for volunteers aged 18+ to help with admin at our Earls Colne Head Office and/or at our North Weald Office.
Key Volunteer activities:
- Assist staff with administrative tasks
- Data entry
- Making supporter phone calls, e.g. thank you calls for the Regular Giving or Lottery Teams
- Envelope stuffing
- Support staff with opening post
- Franking post ready for collection
- Some manual requests e.g. tidying the stationery cupboard
- Help, in a team of two, in the Cash Office (Earls Colne)
How much time will you need to commit?
Ad-hoc and flexible
How to apply
Not currently taking new applications