Community Champion – Volunteer
Berkshire Lowland Search & Rescue (BLSAR)
Location: Home-based, covering an agreed area of Berkshire
Hours: Flexible – approximately 5+ hours per week
Volunteer role | 2–4 opportunities available
Be the local face of BLSAR in your community
Berkshire Lowland Search & Rescue (BLSAR) is a volunteer-run charity that supports the police and other emergency services in searching for high-risk vulnerable missing people.
Our team of around 80 trained volunteers can be called upon day or night. To keep our team trained, equipped and ready to respond, we rely on fundraising, donations, sponsorship and support from our local communities.
We’re looking for 2–4 Community Champions across Berkshire to help us build stronger local connections, raise awareness and identify new fundraising opportunities.
The Role
As a Community Champion, you’ll become BLSAR’s local ambassador within an agreed area of Berkshire.
You’ll build relationships with local businesses, clubs, schools, societies and community groups, looking for opportunities such as Charity of the Year partnerships, fundraising events, collections, sponsorship and community talks.
You'll also help identify local events where BLSAR could have a presence and coordinate the volunteers and resources needed to make them happen.
You won't be expected to attend every event yourself. Your role is as much about spotting opportunities, building relationships and coordinating activity as it is attending events.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Building relationships with businesses and community organisations
- Identifying fundraising, sponsorship and partnership opportunities
- Finding local events and opportunities to raise awareness of BLSAR
- Helping plan and coordinate fundraising activities
- Coordinating volunteers and resources for agreed events
- Representing BLSAR at selected community events and meetings
- Maintaining relationships with local supporters
- Sharing opportunities and ideas with the wider fundraising team
Who We’re Looking For
You don’t need previous fundraising experience. We’re looking for people who are:
- Friendly, confident and comfortable approaching new people
- Natural relationship-builders
- Proactive, organised and able to follow things through
- Happy to work independently while being part of a wider team
- Comfortable getting out and about within their designated area
- Passionate about supporting their local community
Experience in fundraising, events, sales, business development, networking or community engagement would be useful, but isn't essential.
Location & Commitment
This is a predominantly home-based, flexible role requiring around 5+ hours per week.
We want our Community Champions spread across Berkshire, with each person looking after an agreed area. We're therefore keen to hear from people across West Berkshire, Reading, Bracknell, Windsor & Maidenhead, Slough and Wokingham.
You don't necessarily need to live in the area you cover, provided you're happy to get out and about and build relationships there.
Why Volunteer With BLSAR?
You'll have the opportunity to use your skills and local knowledge to make a tangible difference. The relationships and fundraising opportunities you develop will help keep our volunteers trained, equipped and ready to respond when someone goes missing.
If you're a people person who enjoys making connections, spotting opportunities and getting things organised, we'd love to hear from you.
Pay: Up to £0.01 per year
Application question(s):
- Do you have previous Fundraising experience?
- Which area of Berkshire do you live in?
- Please confirm you are aware this is a volunteer role and you can commit at least 5 hours per week?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Wokingham RG41 2PQ
