Help support people out of homelessness by volunteering for Emmanuel House in Nottingham.
We couldn’t do everything we do without our dedicated community of volunteers. By giving your time to Emmanuel House, you’re making a valuable and meaningful contribution to our work supporting people who are homeless or rough sleeping in Nottingham.
How to apply
Applying to volunteer is simple, and contacting us doesn’t commit you to anything. All applicants are welcome to visit first, take a look around and see how we work. If you’d like to take the next step, you can join us for a ‘taster’ day. This gives you a chance to meet staff, visitors and volunteers, and try out different roles to discover what suits you best.
Apply now:
We need two references per application. Please send the reference template to your two nominated referees to complete and return to us with your application:
To arrange to speak to someone about the role before applying, please email:
- volunteering@emmanuelhouse.org.uk for roles based at the Support Centre.
- nottinghamsheltervolunteering@emmanuelhouse.org.uk for roles based at the Winter Shelter.
For most volunteer roles, you can choose from a range of shift times unless specified.
Night Shelter food servers
Support our Night Shelter by helping to serve breakfast and evening meals for people experiencing homelessness. The shelter is based in Nottingham city centre.
- Morning sessions: Monday to Friday, 7am to 8:30am
- Evening sessions: Monday to Sunday, 8pm to 9.30pm
Volunteering in Nottingham at the Night Shelter is a practical and compassionate way to make a real difference during the colder months.
Support Centre kitchen roles
Our Support Centre is open every weekday morning, serving breakfast from 9:30am and lunch from 1pm. Kitchen volunteers help us provide warm, nutritious meals and a welcoming environment for the people who visit us. No experience is needed – just a willingness to help.
Kitchen roles:
- Kitchen – Lunch Server: Weekday lunchtimes 12:15pm to 1:30pm (except Wednesdays)
- Kitchen – Breakfast Server: Tuesday and Friday 9.30am to 11am
- Kitchen – Cook: Weekday lunchtimes 11:30am to 1:30pm (except Wednesdays)
- Kitchen – Cook’s Assistant: Weekday lunchtimes 11:30am to 1:30pm (except Wednesdays).
Donation sorting
Help us sort donated clothing and goods for our charity shop and the people who use our services. This role supports re-use, reduces waste and ensures items reach those who need them quickly. No experience is required.
- Sorting sessions: Weekdays 9:30am to 12:30pm, or 1pm to 4pm.
Support Centre assistance
On weekday mornings, Emmanuel House is open for showers, clothing and one-to-one appointments for housing, benefits, tenancy and general support.
Support roles available:
- Basic services: Weekdays 9:30am to 12pm (except Wednesdays)
- Befriender: Weekdays 10am to 12pm (except Wednesdays)
- Maintenance: odd jobs / caretaker: Any week day – contact us to discuss
- Barber/hairdresser: Tuesday mornings are ideal, but we can be flexible
Admin volunteering
We’re seeking volunteers to provide general office support. A minimum commitment of one morning or afternoon per week is required. These roles are ideal for someone organised, confident with basic admin systems, and keen to make a meaningful contribution behind the scenes.
- Administrative support: weekday mornings or afternoons.
- Fundraising volunteer: 2-4 hours per week.
Charity shop volunteering
Our charity shop on Goose Gate in Hockley raises vital funds for Emmanuel House while promoting sustainable, second‑hand shopping. Stocked with donated clothing and goods and run entirely by volunteers, the shop reduces waste and generates essential income to support our services.
- Charity Shop Assistant: Monday – Saturday 10am to 4pm, 12pm to 4pm or 4pm to 6pm.
Events volunteering
Emmanuel House’s marketing and fundraising team delivers a wide range of events across Nottingham – from open days and choir concerts to sports tournaments, charity‑shop pop‑ups and activities at our support centre.
We rely on volunteers to help these events run smoothly. Tasks can include serving refreshments, taking donations, supporting stalls, organising low‑waste activities like tombolas, and more. All our events are welcoming, enjoyable and play a vital role in raising funds that sustain our services and our community.
- Event supporter: Various times and locations
Corporate group volunteering
We’re incredibly grateful to the many local businesses that support us. Corporate volunteering in Nottingham with Emmanuel House plays a vital role in helping people experiencing homelessness, while giving teams the chance to build connections, develop skills and make a meaningful contribution to their community.
We offer a range of hands‑on volunteering opportunities for groups, including regular sessions for:
- Serving breakfast at our Support Centre – groups of 3-4 can help prepare and serve breakfast from 9:10-11:30am, offering a warm welcome to the people who use our services.
- Donation‑sorting sessions – ideal for groups of 6-12 people, these afternoon sessions help us organise non-perishable food items donated by the public for our kitchen. This helps us manage essential supplies efficiently and ensures nothing goes to waste.
Other ad-hoc team volunteering activities can include cleaning, decorating, gardening, and preparing meals for our night shelter. All sessions are fully supported by our team, require no prior experience, and can be arranged as one‑off or repeat activities. They’re meaningful, enjoyable and have a direct impact on the people we support.
If your organisation would like to get involved, please contact our Marketing and Communications Manager at nicola.ramsdale@emmanuelhouse.org.uk or call 0115 950 7140. We’d love to work with you.
Volunteering – case studies
Mary (right) used to volunteer at our night shelter every Thursday. With the support of staff members, she did the food prep and then made toasties, soup, beans on toast and whatever our guests fancied. She volunteered at Emmanuel House for around 4 years as she still wanted to do something worthwhile, after retiring from nursing.
She said: “It’s really rewarding, I love talking to the people that are staying at the Winter Shelter and the camaraderie between the staff. I really enjoy it, particularly as the homeless community has been very close to my heart.”
When we asked what she’d say to people thinking about volunteering, she said: “Give it a try! The shelter guests are always polite and really appreciative.”
