Volunteers

Meet new people. Learn new skills. Keep families fed. 

We really value the contribution made by our volunteers - over 90% of the TBBT operation relies on volunteer help in our warehouses and in our hubs. In June 2020 we were even crowned with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of the immense contribution volunteers make to TBBT.

Our volunteers come from all backgrounds

Some come with family and friends, some come alone and some bring their colleagues from work.

But we always need more help! We need volunteers to help in our warehouses in Trafford (Manchester) and Chilton (County Durham) as well as in our local communities. 

If you have a couple of hours to spare - either on an occasional or regular basis - we'd love to hear from you!

  • Warehouse Volunteers

    We need warehouse volunteers every day. (Don't worry - you can donate the hours that work for you!). Jobs include: packing bags, organising stock, keeping the warehouse tidy and helping to load the vans.

    If you are over 18 and have time to give or would like to know more, click here to drop us a line.

    Warehouse Volunteering

  • Van Drivers

    We also need van drivers - with and without vans! Join us throughout the day from 7am onwards Monday-Saturday to help collect and transport food.

    If you are over 25 with a full, clean, UK driving licence, and have some time to share, we’d love to hear from you. Click here to get in touch.

    Van Driver Volunteering

  • Hub Volunteers

    Each hub recruits and manages its own volunteers. Hub volunteers help unpack the van, set out the food packing stations, pack bags and serve members.

    Each hub operates at a different time but usually around lunchtime. A volunteer shift lasts 2-3 hours.

    If you would like to help out at your local hub, fill in our contact form or get in touch direct with your hub.

Everyone volunteers for a different reason.

By volunteering with TBBT, you will be making a big difference to many people’s lives. Thank you! Your support means a lot to us and them.

We hope that as a result of your volunteering you will:

• Gain new skills
• Meet new people
• Make new friends
• Improve your mental and physical health and wellbeing
• Improve your confidence

And if you are looking for work, experience with TBBT could help you get a job in a warehousing or retail environment. Do chat to us about getting a reference.

As it is a working environment with potential hazards, we do have a Volunteer Code of Conduct that we expect all our volunteers to adhere for everyone’s safety. Feel free to read this here.

Corporate Volunteering

We routinely welcome groups of volunteers from companies and organisations for corporate volunteering days.  

Most volunteers come and support our teams on site at our warehouses in Trafford (Manchester) or Chilton (County Durham) where we can host groups of up to 12 individuals, for either a half or full day. Nobody needs prior experience to participate – just a willingness to pitch in and a sense of humour!

Find out more about what you could be getting up to on the day, right here.

Other opportunities include:

  • ad hoc desk based opportunities such as research, award submissions or social media support

  • skills based projects offering specialist support in functions such as finance, procurement or data management

We can also offer bespoke approaches for larger groups.

If you’re interested in getting involved, get in contact by emailing hello@breadandbutterthing.org

  • “Today, we spent the morning volunteering at The Bread and Butter Thing. We absolutely loved lending our helping hands and seeing what an amazing job they do day in and day out, helping to make life more affordable for those who need whilst also reducing food waste. It is an impressive model, and we’re glad we got to input in such a great cause. Thank you for having us! We will be back.”

    Laurel Docker, Head of People, Airtime Rewards

  • “What a great way to spend a Tuesday. Being part of The Bread and Butter Thing team earlier today was an inspiration; not least as their work helps so many people and supports positive change across the board. Many hands really did make light work helping sort, pallet, load & distribute much needed, affordable, healthy food to the member hubs in communities across the North and ultimately to the families who need it. We enjoyed it all - helping with the heavy lifting, sorting and loading, meeting new people and hearing about the impact TBBT’s mobile food clubs are making day in - day out. A big thank you to TBBT for making us all feel very welcome.”

    Laura Harper, Partner, Irwin Mitchell

Meet Ang

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Ang Cassells: Hub Leader, Ear4U Partington

Mum of six and grandmother of four, Ang Cassells is widowed and lives in Partington, Manchester.

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100,000

volunteering hours helped TBBT in 2022

  • “Everyone was really friendly, organised and attending was easy. Glad we made the time to attend and looking forward to some more volunteering in the new year.”

    Andrew, Volunteer

  • “TBBT is a creative and pioneering organisation which is helping individuals and families in deprived communities to eat better and live more economically whilst reducing food waste and contributing to community development. The contribution of volunteers in this organisation is extremely impressive.”

    Michael Greenwood, Dep Lieutenant Greater Manchester QAVS citation

  • “It was a lovely experience and felt so rewarding. The whole thing was well organised and we knew exactly what to expect. The charity do incredible work and it was great to contribute in some way.”

    Mohini, Volunteer

Winning The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

The Bread and Butter Thing and its dedicated teams of volunteers have been awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK - the equivalent of an MBE. 

Mark Game, CEO TBBT said: "Receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is the perfect celebration and recognition that our volunteers are fundamental to the TBBT operation. We simply wouldn't exist without them. Over 200 individuals volunteer each week at our community hubs, and whilst many of our regular team are self-isolating in these complicated times, we have been bolstered by the volunteer forces of furloughed staff from local businesses, housing associations, schools, students, teachers, parents, friends and family. It's a true team effort. TBBT prides itself in uniting its local communities and this award is a real reflection of the esteem and gratitude we have for our volunteer teams."