Giving your time as a volunteer is both generous and rewarding, knowing that you will make a difference to someone else’s Christmas Day.
Some roles may only require a couple of hours whereas others might be longer. Families often volunteer together for set-up duties, but as places are limited we cannot guarantee a place.
Applications open again in September 2024!
Volunteer
KITCHEN HELPERS (age 16+)
On Christmas Eve most of the preparation work is done, whether peeling sprouts, slicing carrots or wrapping bacon around sausages, so please bring your own veg prep knife. There’s a lovely sense of friendship and joy as volunteers work together.
Christmas Day requires a smaller team in the kitchen, often from those who volunteered on Christmas Eve, for continuity.
DRIVERS / MINIBUS
Drivers are the first point of contact with our guests, so a friendly courteous manner is essential. Some passengers may have specific requirements like only being able to sit in the front seat, or may have a collapsible wheelchair to fit in the boot - all of which the driver will already have been told about by our Transport Co-Ordinator. Drivers are asked to make contact with their passengers a few days before they collect them, so they know who to expect on the morning of Christmas Day. In the afternoon the dispatch team will liaise with guests so passengers in a similar area go together with a driver. We also have use of a minibus with a tail lift for anyone who needs such transport. In case of any emergency we also request a few drivers to be available between morning and afternoon shifts. We also have drivers assigned for home delivery trips, to Julian House and anyone unable to attend on the day.
SERVERY (age 16+)
There are two separate serveries, one for Guests and a separate location for Volunteers. There is a lot of liaison with the main Kitchen to ensure a supply of hot food, and on warm plates. Home delivery meals are also supplied to Julian House and other support agencies, with any allergy requirements being strictly adhered to.
MEET & GREET / DISPATCH
Basically these two roles are the same, just at the start or end of the day! Could you be that friendly face greeting our guests, helping them into the hall to find a place to sit and introducing them to their table host?
When the guests leave the Dispatch team is tasked with getting people who live in a similar location matched to drivers, to make it an easy trip home.
TABLE & HALL HOSTS
Table hosts manage a table of ten, keeping the conversation flowing. They note who has any dietary requirements which gets to the servery team. Table hosts have their lunch served at the table and eat alongside the guests.
Hall hosts ‘float’ to provide assistance where needed, from helping guests to the toilet, asking for more gravy, helping the dispatch team group people together for lifts home...
DRINKS (age 16+)
This team of 4 people provides guests with tea or coffee on arrival, after lunch, and also serve water and wine at the tables. They are certainly kept busy during the day!
WAITING TEAMS
There is a morning team, who serve the starter and main course, and an afternoon team who collect the dirty main course plates and serve dessert.
One person is in charge of any special dietary options and the team is managed by the Catering Supervisor.
WASH UP
Another small team of just 6 people spread themselves between the Pot Room and the Plate Washer, dealing with all the dirties that come back from the kitchen and the hall. There is an hour’s induction to explain the machinery a few days beforehand and the team is overseen by the Catering Manager.
CLEAN UP (27th December)
The kitchen area is cleaned down immediately after the meal on Christmas Day and any left-over food is put in the fridges. The rest of the cleaning up is done on 27th, where floors are swept and mopped, signage taken down, tablecloths folded, and any leftovers taken to Julian House for them to make delicious Bubble & Squeak.
We make sure that everything is left neat and tidy at Kingswood School so we can come back next year!
GIFT WRAPPING (23rd December)
Every year, guests take home a goodie bag filled with various items we have had donated, from chocolate santas to knitted hats, all individually wrapped by our nimble-fingered team.
There’s a production line of presents which are then collated into bags and placed ready for guests to receive at the end of Christmas Day, so they have something to take home.
SET UP (24th December)
All the family can get involved in helping with the preparations with 150 place settings to lay on 15 tables, with glasses, cutlery, napkins and crackers. There’s also signage to put in place and a need for tea and coffee runs!
