Volunteer with the British Red Cross

Join the British Red Cross as an emergency volunteer, support refugees or help in a charity shop. Together, we're the world's emergency responders.

Why volunteer with the British Red Cross? 

Join us as a volunteer, and join the world's emergency responders.

It's your chance to make a real, noticeable difference in your local community. Have fun, spark new interests and support vulnerable people when they need you most.

We have volunteering roles to suit everyone, however much time you have to give and whatever your experience. You can volunteer in some of our services from age 15 and we have opportunities for young people to get involved with our work. 


Arrow icon How can I volunteer?

Arrow icon Benefits of volunteering

Arrow icon How to apply

Emergency response volunteers roles 

Whether it’s supporting vulnerable people through the Covid pandemic, responding to floods or working on our support line, our emergency volunteers have got people through their worst times. Not many people can say that.

If you’d like to support your local community, we really need emergency response volunteers in Hull, Grimsby, Newcastle, Durham, Cleveland and Enniskillen - Northern Ireland as well other towns and areas across the UK.

Just search for roles near you.

Find an emergency response volunteer role

5 reasons to become an emergency response volunteer

How to make a real difference to someone’s life – including your own.

Read the story

How and where can I volunteer?

There are lots of volunteering opportunities with the British Red Cross. Our volunteer jobs include: 

  • emergency response volunteer
  • charity shop volunteer
  • ambulance volunteer 
  • refugee support volunteer 
  • wheelchair volunteer

If you can't find volunteer opportunities near you, you can volunteer virtually from home by supporting vulnerable people through our national helpline.

Find a volunteer role near you



What are the benefits of volunteering?

If you're wondering why you should volunteer, consider how this experience can not only benefit you but also your community. There are various benefits of volunteering with the British Red Cross, including:

  • Make a difference to someone's life. 
  • Volunteer with other passionate people. 
  • Be recognised for the skills and experience you bring to our organisation. 
  • Learn new skills that could help your career. 
  • Be a part of the largest humanitarian organisation in the world. 

How old do you have to be to volunteer with the Red Cross?

You can volunteer with the British Red Cross from the age of 15, across many of our services, including in our charity shops and as a wheelchair volunteer. Once you turn 16, you can also volunteer in our refugee support centres. People aged 18 or older can also volunteer for charity work abroad in Europe at a wide variety of placements and programs.

Learn more about volunteering opportunities for young people. 

What's the application process?

We have volunteer jobs that suit everyone, whether you can give a few hours or a few days a week. There are volunteer roles available across the UK and abroad, including volunteer work in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Glasgow.

Once you have applied, you will receive a confirmation email where you can track your application. We will be in touch with you to arrange a telephone interview with one of our friendly recruiters.

Depending on the role, we may need to do a criminal record check. Full training for the role will be provided.

Find a volunteer role near you

Volunteers for the Ukraine crisis

Please note that we are not currently sending volunteers to Ukraine. This includes medical and logistics experts. Our teams there have told us that the best way to support the response in Ukraine is to raise funds. This is our focus, through our emergency appeal.

We don’t have any specific volunteering jobs to support Ukraine in the UK. We are constantly monitoring the evolving situation and will keep this page updated with opportunities.