Discover the latest volunteering news and opportunities across the Chelmsford district.
Volunteering offers something for everyone. Giving your time can be rewarding, purposeful and empowering. Other benefits include:
- Building confidence, skills and experience for work or study
- Reduces isolation and supports wellbeing at any age
- Providing a sense of purpose and achievement
- Creating opportunities to meet new people and make connections
Parks volunteering
Spring is here and it’s a great time to get outdoors with a purpose. Learn new skills surrounded by like-minded people passionate about nature.
Book Champions (NEW)
Community library boxes are popping up across Chelmsford’s parks, with new ones arriving this summer at Saltcoats Parks (South Woodham Ferrers) and Tower Gardens. Want to help us look after one of these boxes? Contact Love Your Chelmsford to find out more.
Adopt a tree for watering – Coming soon (NEW)
Help our newly planted trees by signing up to water a tree near you this summer, as part of newly launched Nature Pledge initiative.
Conservation volunteers
Our conservation volunteers cover a host of activities to support nature and wildlife across Chelmsford or for specific project areas. So far in 2026, volunteers have been working to management plans, preparing and planting meadows, working on ditches, repairing paths, and building bug hotels. Coming up in spring and summer are wildlife surveys, vegetation clearance and management and more! To find out more, contact us through the Love Your Chelmsford conservation volunteer page.
Garden volunteers
Come and be part of the beautiful historic Hylands Park Estate. Behind this icon of Essex is a team of volunteers supporting the gardeners on Thursday and Fridays. So, if you fancy some relaxing gardening days in this amazing setting or want to find out more, contact us via the Love Your Chelmsford website.
Museum volunteering
If you enjoy interacting with the public and have a love for local history, becoming a volunteer at the Museum of Chelmsford could be for you. Volunteering with the museum is a wonderful way to give back to your community, learn a new skill, make new friends, and even use the opportunity to enhance your career progression.
Become a walk leader
Heart and Sole is Chelmsford’s free walking scheme linked to the Ramblers Wellbeing Walks Programme. They run 11 walks every week in different parts of the Chelmsford district. Walks are around 45 minutes duration and are led by trained walk leaders and there is often socialising after the walk in a local café or pub.
Find out more about becoming a walk leader or joining the walks.
Love Your Chelmsford volunteering
The Environmental Sustainability team runs a litter picking volunteer scheme for residents, schools, businesses, and community groups.
Free kits of litter picking equipment are available to borrow for up to 14 days. The kits include an adult or child size litter picker, hi-vis waistcoat, and a heavy-duty bin bag. Equipment is available to collect from Freighter House, Drovers Way, Springfield.
Occasionally the team hold community volunteering days where anyone is welcome to attend – you can hear about these via the Love Your Chelmsford Facebook page and also by signing up to the quarterly Love Your Chelmsford e-newsletter. Last year, over 65 volunteers gave their time to a river clean event in aid of ridding the River Chelmer of unwanted litter. This is all part of the Love Your Chelmsford programme and this amazing event will be bringing the community together again in June!
Join the Friends of Hylands House
The Friends of Hylands House charity is looking for volunteers to help run their popular second-hand bookshop at The Stables. They also have a number of committee roles available. The charity raises funds for the preservation and the improvement of Hylands House and Hylands Park, with recent projects including the Hanbury Memorial Garden and the refurbishment of the Terrace Room.
If you are interested, visit their website where you can contact them for more information.
Other volunteering opportunities
The Chelmsford Volunteering Centre and Volunteer Essex offer hundreds of volunteering roles across Essex and are always in need of assistance. Some current opportunities include:
- Farleigh Hospice Café volunteers
- Hamelin Trust Volunteer Befrienders
- Lead Volunteer with Men’s Shed
- Climate Ambassador (ambassadors deliver interactive, animated, in-person assemblies to allow pupils to engage with climate change)
You can browse the many opportunities on the Chelmsford CVS website which also includes the contact details you’ll need to get involved.
Donate today and make a difference
Discover other ways you can help our community here in Chelmsford. A gift of financial support, clothing, food or your time can make a real difference!
The Chelmsford Foodbank provided 8,769 three-day emergency supplies to people in crisis last year and appreciate any help. They regularly post essential items needed on their Facebook page which change weekly, so this helps guide your donations and items to buy.
Sanctus and Cool to be Kind are helping individuals within the homeless community to rebuild their lives using person-centred approaches to tailor their support to each individual. You could donate items or your time to help support their fantastic cause.