Ways to help out around Exeter: drop-in sessions you can just turn up to, one-off tasks, and longer roles with local charities and groups.
Ways to help out around Exeter: drop-in sessions you can just turn up to, one-off tasks, and longer roles with local charities and groups.
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Exeter · Food & homelessness
Sort and pack donated food in the warehouse, load vans, drive or ride along, and collect surplus food from shops and producers for local groups.
Exeter (city centre) · Food & homelessness · Free to volunteer
A free weekly community meal cooked by volunteers from surplus food and shared by anyone who wants to come. Volunteers cook, host guests and collect food; no experience needed.
How to start: Always looking for cooks, hosts and food collection volunteers; no specific experience required. Volunteers have allergen training.
Exeter city centre (Cathedral Yard) · Food & homelessness
Help St Petrock's, Exeter's homelessness charity, by sorting donated food and packing parcels, or by collecting donations as a volunteer driver.
King William Street, Exeter EX4 6PD · Community centres & groups, Health & care
Volunteer at CoLab, a community and wellbeing hub at Wat Tyler House in the city centre.
Not recruiting right now: register interest
Roles are arranged with the office
Clyst St Mary (east of Exeter) · Health & care · Free to volunteer
Local charity supporting families in Devon living with blood cancer, working with the haematology centre at the RD&E. Volunteers help at fundraising events and in its volunteer teams, with training for every role.
How to start: Multiple volunteer roles to suit different skills and interests; full training is provided for every role. Get in touch to join one of its volunteer teams.
Exeter (RD&E Wonford site; Heavitree) · Health & care, Charity shops
Welcome people to FORCE's cancer support centre at the hospital, help in its snack bar or Heavitree charity shop, or support fundraising events.
Current vacancies at Searle House include a grounds person and estates maintenance support (apply by 30…
Exeter (Wonford) · Health & care · Free to volunteer
Devon's local hospice charity, based at Searle House in Wonford. Volunteers help with patients and families, gardens and grounds, maintenance and its charity shops, with full training.
How to start: Volunteers aged 14 and up are welcome; most roles need no qualifications as full training is given. Each volunteer gets a named line manager and an experienced buddy (grounds role)
Exeter · Befriending & older people
Visit an older person at home for about an hour a week, make friendly phone calls, help in the community café or give information and advice.
Exeter Community Centre, 17 St David's Hill, EX4 3RG · Refugees & migrants
Trained volunteers run drop-ins, give accredited immigration advice, support people in hotels and garden alongside clients.
Not recruiting right now: register interest
Groups meet on weekday evenings across Exeter
Exeter (groups across the city) · Children & young people · Free to volunteer
Scouting for young people aged 4 to 18 across Exeter's groups. Adults help as occasional helpers or leaders; no experience is needed and there's an award-winning training scheme.
How to start: Always seeking adults; no prior experience necessary. Start as an occasional helper, from a few hours a month to a few a week, with training provided. Fill in the form to be put in touch.
Exeter (Haven Banks) · Children & young people · Free to volunteer
The Sea Cadets unit on Exeter's canal basin, for young people aged 10 to 17. Adult volunteers help run unit evenings and can gain sailing and paddling instructor qualifications.
How to start: Apply through the volunteer form; volunteers can gain qualifications to teach the unit's courses.
Exeter · Children & young people, Food & homelessness
Support young people in YMCA Exeter's housing, café project, exam mentoring, youth club and friendship groups, or help with maintenance and fundraising.
Exeter (St Thomas) · Repair & reuse · Free; donations welcome
A monthly repair café in St Thomas where volunteers mend clothes, small electricals, toys, crockery and small furniture. Repairers, refreshment helpers and welcomers are wanted.
How to start: Bring one item per visit; repairs by donation. Volunteers without repair skills are welcome for customer service or refreshments.
About every two months on a Tuesday, 11am–3pm (2026: 27 Jan, 24 Mar, 2 Jun, 20 Oct)
Streatham campus, Exeter · Repair & reuse · Free to volunteer
Free repair café in the Forum Library's Digital Maker Space, open to students, staff and local residents. Volunteers with repair, sewing or electronics skills help people fix broken items.
How to start: Volunteers include university staff, students and members of local repair cafés; email to volunteer.
Exeter city centre (Sidwell Street) · Community centres & groups, Food & homelessness, Conservation & green spaces
Help in the community café and bakehouse, collect food for the community fridge, welcome visitors, support English classes or join the gardening team.
How to start: Come to the Friday volunteer drop-in to talk about roles, or apply online. Gardening sessions need booking.
Wonford, Exeter · Health & care
Non-clinical help for patients at the Royal Devon hospitals, from outpatient visits to longer stays, such as welcoming people at the main entrances.
Not recruiting right now: register interest
10 Richmond Road, Exeter EX4 4JA · Health & care
Answer calls as a Samaritans listening volunteer after full training, especially overnight, or help with outreach talks and collections.