Volunteering

Volunteers at Brandon make an invaluable contribution to the lives of the people we support.

Our volunteers bring enthusiasm, skills and experience which enriches the support we provide and contributes to our fundraising activities.

And our volunteers tell us that the experiences they have with Brandon are a uniquely rewarding opportunity, especially when they are working alongside our supported employees and trainees in our social enterprises.

Become a volunteer in Bristol and the south west Contact us about volunteering at our London allotment

3 happy people at Brandon Trust summer camp

The different ways you can volunteer

We welcome volunteers to spend time with the team at Elm Tree Farm, Grimsbury Farm cafes, our high street charity shops, one of our potteries, our London allotment, or with our fundraising team. If you have spare time on a regular basis (or even just occasionally), we would love to hear from you.

We also welcome groups of volunteers, who can add immense value and benefit the daily lives of people we support by helping us enhance our spaces. Both indoor and outdoor projects offer a fun and rewarding way to develop new skills, work closely with colleagues, and engage with the local community.

Enquire about volunteer opportunities in Bristol and the surrounding areas Enquire about volunteering at our London allotment

Elm Tree Farm

At our care farm in Bristol, volunteers make a significant contribution. We rear heritage breed livestock and operate an organic market garden and plant nursery. We also run a farm shop stocking our own and other local farmers’ produce.

Find out more

Charity shops

Outside of Brandon Trust charity shop in Gloucester Road, Bristol

If you’re interested in fashion and charity retail, committed to the environment, and want to help people with learning disabilities and autism, or simply want to take part in your local community, our high street shops offer incredibly rewarding volunteer experiences.

View our shops

Potteries

We run two creative and lively ceramics studios; Banwell Pottery in Worle, near Weston-super-Mare, and Fired Up Ceramics in Yate, near Bristol.

They offer practical community-based employment and training projects which support people with learning disabilities and autism, enabling them to develop their skills and experience.

We need volunteers to help us in our busy and fun potteries to support our groups and keep the studios running smoothly.

View our enterprises

Cafes at Grimsbury Farm

We run two cafes in the Bristol/South Gloucestershire area; Barn Café and The Hatch at Grimsbury Farm in Kingswood.

The cafes provide opportunities for vocational training and paid employment. The aim is to help people transition into the workplace and gain transferable life and social skills.

The cafes make and sell delicious freshly prepared food and tasty cakes. We need volunteers during our busy school holiday times to help in our cafes and during some of our half term activities.

Explore Grimsbury Farm Café

Corporate volunteers

A photo of a group of four civil servants volunteering at the Brandon allotment in London

At Elm Tree Farm in Bristol and at our London allotment project, corporate volunteers complete physical tasks in the great outdoors, away from the office. They give back to the local community, whilst team building and fulfilling their corporate social responsibility strategy.

By helping us enhance our spaces, groups of volunteers can add immense value and benefit to the daily lives of people we support. Both indoor and outdoor projects offer a fun and rewarding way to develop new skills, work closely with colleagues, and engage with the local community.

Whether you’re a group of 3 or 30, we can work with you to find the right volunteer opportunity.

Find out more about Elm Tree Farm Enquire about volunteering at our London allotment

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The Farm is such a beautiful environment and I love organically grown food, it’s just so yummy! I also really want to develop the link between the community and the food that is grown locally so people learn more about how food is produced and ends up on their plates. I hope that what I’m doing is helping such a great project, and everyone here is just so friendly.

Anne White, Volunteer
I would just like to thank you and the team very much for being so welcoming and providing me with this experience. I couldn’t recommend it more and it has honestly been really worthwhile. I just love what the farm is all about and all your members of staff are fantastic, as are the guys and (the very few) ladies who come to the farm.

Working with Louis, Brinmore, Terry, and Aidan has been an amazing experience, they’re all very special guys. And although I’ve only been at the farm for six months, they flourish every time I see them. I feel like I’ve made a really tight bond and will be absolutely gutted when I have my last day.

Again thank you so much, I have learnt an incredible amount.

Jessie Davies, Volunteer
It is always a pleasure to visit the Brandon Trust allotment. We love the cause and the multiple positive benefits it serves – providing a healthy, safe space for the people Brandon Trust supports; growing fruit and vegetables for the local community; enabling people to spend time in nature (a rarity in London) and see the fruits of their labour.

We always look forward to spending time at the allotment (which is a refreshing break from the desk job), getting our hands dirty, and connecting with the Brandon team.

Pip, Corporate Volunteer
The Brandon Trust allotment is set in a calm and beautifully cared for green space. Just admiring each characterful plot has an immediately relaxing effect. Pitching in with maintaining the allotment is a practical and fulfilling activity that represents a real contrast to office work and encourages very different conversations. Sharing a barbecue with the people supported at the allotment, allows volunteers to take a well-earned break and appreciate what the space represents. I really look forward to my next visit.

Tom, corporate volunteer

Gig Buddies Cornwall

Gig Buddies Cornwall, which is led by Brandon and jointly funded by Cornwall Council, aims to improve and enhance the social lives of people with and without learning disabilities across Cornwall.

We’re looking for volunteer Gig Buddies who are:

Friendly folk who like to meet new people and have fun
People with an interest to share or a desire to try something new
Volunteers who can commit to one activity per month

Whatever your ‘gig’ – music, open mic nights, comedy, pub quizzes, theatre, cinema, meals out, walks, or sports – we’ll aim to buddy you up with someone who would like a ‘buddy’ to go with.

You can also find out more about Gig Buddies in general, on the Gig Buddies website. Email gigbuddies@brandontrust.org. Leave a contact number and we will be in touch.