Volunteering and Friends Groups

Volunteering

We value our volunteers. They are the lifeblood of the church with many people offering tireless support. 

Whether it’s a traditional role associated with the church community, or something new to help widen your reach and appeal, it is important to make sure that everyone who volunteers is supported and managed to the highest possible standards. 

Your regional Community and Voluntary Service will be able offer advice and support, so do get in touch with them if you haven’t done so already.

A Guide to Working with Volunteers – Coming Soon.

In the meantime, see the following:

• Safer Recruitment section of Safeguarding National Policies pages - https://www.elydiocese.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-policies-guidance-and-procedures/
• Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland CVS – http://www.cambridgecvs.org.uk/Volunteering/Volunteer%20Managers%20Support
• Norfolk CVS - http://www.communityactionnorfolk.org.uk/sites/
• East Cambridgeshire CVS - https://www.vcaec.org.uk/
• NCVO - The National Council for Voluntary Organisations - https://www.ncvo.org.uk

Friends Groups

When visiting a major historic tourist attraction, you may well have come across literature promoting a friends group there. But have you thought of setting one up for your church?

A friends group can bring huge benefits:

• help a parish to reach out to people beyond the congregation who can give the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and vicar a helping hand.
• help to give a church a life outside service times, turning it into a lively and vibrant community or arts venue.
• help with raising money for and organising major fabric repairs.

Resources

• Setting Up a Friends Group Guidance document – produced by the REACH Ely project
• Building friends: a toolkit for new friend's groups – produced by the Diocese of London
• Somersham Friends Group - video case study on Friends Groups at St John the Baptist Somersham, produced by the REACH Ely project
• Parish Resources provide a sample constitution for an independent Friends scheme