Two thirds of charities concerned over winter volunteer availability – survey

Two thirds of charities are concerned about the availability of volunteers over the winter period, with some unable to help due to their own financial hardship from the cost-of-living crisis.

A study of more than 1,000 charitable organisations by giving platform Neighbourly, based in Bristol, also found 40% of respondents had experienced difficulty recruiting volunteers over the past few months.

The issues come against a background of increased demand on services, with 69% of those surveyed reporting fears that this winter will be worse than the same period last year.

Steve Butterworth, chief executive of Neighbourly, described the situation as “heartbreaking” and urged those who can donate time, money or items to do so.

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“People think charities just need money but when we looked at it, 66% of those who took part in our survey were concerned about the availability of volunteers over the winter period,” he told the PA news agency.

“Some volunteers are saying the cost of living is making it cost prohibitive to volunteer, for example they can’t afford the fuel to get to where they volunteer in the first place.

“It is a terrible situation to be in. They know why their support is needed because these are local charities and local people who are supporting them.

“They are saying ‘I can’t do it anymore’. It is heartbreaking.”

Neighbourly has launched an initiative called GoGive, which Mr Butterworth described as a “call to arms” to help support charities in the lead up to Christmas and into February.

The survey also found 37% of respondents had experienced a decrease in donations of food or products to their organisation.

On average, the organisations surveyed had to turn away an average of 67 people requesting support each week.

Mr Butterworth said the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by other factors that had compounded its impact, had led to increased demand in those asking for help.

Before the pandemic, the average number of people supported by each of the 36,000 vetted charities and good causes Neighbourly partners with was around 300 per week.

The figure increased to more than 400 per week between 2020 and 2021 and has since fallen to around 366 people per week.

Mr Butterworth said: “This looks positive at first glance but actually 50% of charities are turning people away due to the fact they don’t have enough funding.

“The amount of support needed hasn’t gone down but there has been a shift in the amount of support available, whether that’s financial or volunteers, or the volume of food or products available.

“There are more charities needing support. There are a number of different factors at play, resulting in a pretty bleak picture.”

The poll also revealed how 43% of organisations surveyed – including food banks, support services and homeless organisations – have seen an increase in families with children seeking support for the first time.

This trend was seen across other demographics, with 32% of charities seeing an increase in older people, and 28% experiencing a rise from those in work.

“The assumption is that if someone is having to get support from a charity, they must be homeless, but it’s often people in work who are just not able to earn enough because of the cost of living crisis,” Mr Butterworth added.

“They are having to make ridiculously difficult decisions as to how and where they spend their money.

“This survey demonstrates the cost of living crisis is still very much alive and kicking. It is not looking like it is going to change soon.”

He paid tribute to local organisations who do an “astounding job, often with very finite resources”, adding that they often change to meet the needs of their communities.

Tracy Foster, 51, began volunteering at social supermarket The Vale Pantry in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, after discovering the service during the pandemic.

The mother-of-five said she had seen an increase in working families using the service, in which members pay £6 for a weekly shop.

They are able to choose the food they would like, including fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled and frozen produce such as meats and cheese, and store cupboard items.

Ms Foster said: “We have people who have their own businesses, but once they have paid everything, there’s not enough left. People aren’t going to jewellery shops, for example, if they can’t afford to eat.

“When they first come, some people are so upset. We say you are not the only ones, it is not something to be embarrassed about. Some are reduced to tears when they do their first shop.

“Unfortunately, what happens is the bills and the rent are put up and working families have nothing left.”

The grandmother described the benefits to her of volunteering, which have led to her undergoing training and running children’s clubs for members over the summer holiday.

She is now working on a Christmas programme for The Vale.

“A couple of years ago, I would never had stood in front of 30 children and said ‘we are going to do this’ because the confidence wasn’t there,” Ms Foster said.

“Volunteering has helped me be Tracy again, not just Mum.”