Five unusual volunteer roles at Martlets

We couldn’t do what we do without the work of our amazing volunteers. With more than 500 volunteers completing a huge variety of volunteer tasks for us on a regular basis – to us, your time is priceless.

Our volunteers give us a wide range of skills and time. Whether it’s a few hours once in a while or a regular weekly shift, they play a crucial part in keeping your local hospice going.

You’d be surprised at some of the roles we’ve got volunteers here for. Here’s just a snapshot of 5 unusual roles volunteers complete for us

1.     Games tester

We get all sorts of games and consoles donated to us and we need to know that they work before we can sell them on to raise money for the hospice. That’s why we have people who volunteer to test them.

Using their gaming knowledge and skills, our volunteers check the consoles and games and help us price them before they go on sale. It’s a really valuable way to make a difference locally.

2.     Flower arranger

An arrangement of beautiful flowers can brighten up anyone’s day. Whether it’s a bloom of spring flowers in a patient room or a table in our cafe, we have volunteers who create stunning arrangements throughout the hospice.

Using their creative skills, our flower arranging volunteers create captivating flower displays for everyone to enjoy.

3.     Coin and stamp sorter

Barry Cole (72) has been volunteering with Martlets since 2013.  He is the hospice’s coin and scrap metal expert, sorting up the change that no-one else wants.  So far, his efforts have raised over £18,000 for the charity, which is an outstanding achievement.

“I enjoy volunteering, it’s so rewarding. The team here are always thanking me for my efforts and people are genuinely pleased at the amount that I’ve raised; it’s nice to be appreciated.  I was so proud when I got my 5-year Long Service Award this year and it was the icing on the cake when I reached the finals of the Brighton Evening Argus Community Stars award for Volunteer of the Year in February.”

Read Barry’s full story here 

4. Ebay photographer

Martlets eBay sites stock vintage finds and collectables such as books, CDs, DVDs and games. It’s a busy operation as our online sites are updated every day. To keep up with the demand, we have a team of amateur and expert photographers who make sure the items are photographed looking their best.

Not adept with a camera? We also have wordsmiths and technical experts who help us pull the listings together on the site.

5. Donation box collector

Shops, cafes and venues across Brighton and Hove have Martlets donation tins on their counters. With lots of passionate Martlets supporters in our city, they get full very quickly!

Luckily, we have a team of donation box collectors who head over to venues and bring them back to us. Waiting at the end of a phone, we dispatch our volunteers to collect tins for us sometimes daily – and last year they helped us raise more than £16,000 for Martlets.

You can volunteer for us

Interested in the roles above or have any other unique skills you can give to Martlets? We’re hosting a volunteer open day on Saturday 27th April between 10.00am and 3.00pm at our hospice.

You’ll have a chance to come in and meet teams from throughout our organisation and explore the opportunities that might be available to you!

Can’t make it? Make sure you fill out our application form and let us know what you might be interested in doing for us. We’d love to have you become part of #TeamMartlets.

 Find out more