Skip to main content
Common TableFood Network

Volunteer

Three roles. Pick one and come for a shift.

No experience needed. Every shift starts with a short briefing and a person who shows you what to do.

Pantry packing

Pack weekly food boxes for neighbours who cannot get to the pantry.

One shift is about 2.5 hours. Come once, or come back weekly.

Sign up for this role

What you will do

You work along a bench with two or three other people, filling boxes from a printed list.

  • Read the packing list for each household
  • Weigh and bag dry goods, tins and fresh items
  • Seal, label and stack finished boxes
  • Reset the bench and return crates at the end

What a shift looks like

  • Arrive ten minutes early for a short briefing
  • Work at a steady pace with a small team
  • Finish with a fifteen minute clean down

Good to know

Mostly standing at a bench, with lifting of boxes up to about 10 kg. The room is warm and busy.

Available shifts

  • Tue & Thu9:00-12:00Bench team of four
  • Sat10:00-13:00Busiest shift of the week

These are the shifts on the current schedule. A coordinator confirms the exact slot with you before your first visit.

Produce sorting

Sort donated fresh produce so good food reaches a kitchen instead of a bin.

One shift is about 3 hours, usually a morning.

Sign up for this role

What you will do

You check crates as they arrive, decide what is usable and prepare it for the pantry shelves.

  • Unload and open crates of donated produce
  • Check condition and separate what is still good
  • Trim, wash and repack into pantry-sized portions
  • Weigh crates for the collection record

What a shift looks like

  • Start with a food safety briefing
  • Work through crates in pairs
  • Break mid-shift, then finish the last deliveries

Good to know

Standing and moving for most of the shift, in a cool room. Some crates are heavy, so ask for a second pair of hands.

Available shifts

  • Mon & Wed8:30-11:30Crates arrive from market traders
  • Fri13:00-16:00Afternoon sort for weekend pantry

These are the shifts on the current schedule. A coordinator confirms the exact slot with you before your first visit.

Delivery support

Take packed food to the doors of neighbours on a set route.

One route is about 2 hours. Weekday afternoons suit most routes.

Sign up for this role

What you will do

You ride along on a short neighbourhood route with a driver and drop bags at agreed doorsteps.

  • Load route bags in drop order
  • Check the route sheet with the driver
  • Carry bags to doorsteps and confirm handover
  • Report anything that needs a follow up

What a shift looks like

  • Meet the driver at the food hub
  • Routes take 90 minutes to two hours
  • Return crates and bags to the hub

Good to know

Walking, stairs and carrying bags of up to 8 kg. Weather dependent, so dress for the outdoors.

Available shifts

  • Tue & Thu13:30-15:30Two routes, driver led
  • Sat11:00-13:00Weekend doorstep route

These are the shifts on the current schedule. A coordinator confirms the exact slot with you before your first visit.

Accessibility and support

Tell us what would help before your first shift. We can arrange a seat, a quieter corner, a lighter task, written instructions or a language buddy.

Use the optional support field on the signup form, or say it to the coordinator at the door. You do not have to explain a diagnosis, and we do not ask for one.

What a shift actually looks like

A shift is short, structured and led by someone who has done the work before. Here is the shape of it, from the door to the last crate.

  1. Step 1

    Arrive and sign in

    Ten minutes before the shift starts. Someone meets you at the door and shows you where to leave your bag.

  2. Step 2

    Safety and task briefing

    Five minutes on food handling, where things go, and what your team is doing that day.

  3. Step 3

    Work with your team

    You are paired with someone who has done the task before. Nobody is left guessing what comes next.

  4. Step 4

    Break, then finish

    A short break, then the last crates or boxes and a quick clean down of the bench.

  5. Step 5

    Tell us how it went

    Two minutes with the coordinator. Say what worked, what did not, and whether you want another shift.

What we ask of you

  • Turn up at the time you chose, or tell us early if you cannot
  • Wear closed shoes and clothes you can work in
  • Follow the food handling briefing
  • Ask when something is unclear

What you can expect

  • A named person who shows you what to do
  • Clear tasks that fit the time you have
  • A seat, a quieter corner or a lighter task if you need one
  • No pressure to come back
Sign up for a shift

Questions people ask first

Do I need experience?

No. Every shift starts with a briefing, and you are paired with someone who has done the task before.

Can I come just once?

Yes. Most people start with one shift. Nothing on the signup form commits you to a rota.

What should I bring?

Closed shoes and clothes you can work in. We provide aprons and gloves at the hub.

Can I bring a friend?

Yes. Send a second signup with their details so we have a name and an email for the team sheet.

What if I cannot make a shift?

Tell the coordinator as early as you can. Shifts are small, so one absence changes the plan for the team.

How do I ask for accessibility support?

Use the optional field on the signup form. Say what would help, and a coordinator replies before your first shift.

Ready when you are. One shift is a real start.

Pick a role, choose a time that works, and a coordinator will reply by email.

Find a volunteer role