RETIRE INTO ACTION

Over 50? You’ve spent a lifetime developing skills, knowledge and abilities. If you’re ready to share that experience and to balance leisure with community involvement, RSVP volunteering is just what you’re looking for. Opportunities are as diverse as the volunteers themselves.

RSVP West is inspired and led by volunteers — more than 800 — with no permanent paid staff. We have a long and varied list of projects, each with a group of volunteers working with a organiser. Projects range from helping children in school, through knitting trauma teddies to comfort distressed children, through collecting prescriptions for housebound people, to aiding the enjoyment of visitors to the Matthew in Bristol Harbour.

JOIN US!

When you’ve had a look around at what we do and the opportunities that we offer, consider joining us. We need active volunteers, aged 50 or over, who are happy to take on accept responsibility in some area of work that interests them. Grasp the opportunity RSVP provides to do something different with your life. You’ll find more information here . We maintain an equal-opportunities policy — for the details download our equal-opportunities statement (PDF 55kB).

Joining us benefits groups of volunteers, too. RSVP West can give existing voluntary schemes much support and practical assistance, among them free insurance cover for volunteers. More details here.

PERSONAL VIEW

Bob Maggs has been the Regional Coordinator for RSVP West since 1991. “Like a lot of people I retired early but came to feel that I could do — and wanted to do — more with my life. I needed something to get me out of bed in the morning. I couldn’t live with the thought of not being a contributor — I wanted to be part of something.”

He has a clear vision of the nature of RSVP voluntary work: “If you’re over 50, RSVP offers you the chance to do anything you want to do, to the extent you want to do it, and when you want to do it. RSVP is led by volunteers; it’s a relaxed and enjoyable organisation that lets you have a lot of serious fun. But if you join us you must be professional about what you do — if you say you’re going to do a job then you must do it, because people depend on us being there when we’re expected.”

ASSISTANCE PLEASE

We are grateful for the financial help of our supporting organisations, listed below. But the demand for funds is never-ending because there’s always another need and another challenge. There are several ways you can contribute financially.

RSVP gratefully acknowledges the financial help of many organisations, including Bristol City Council, Bristol Primary Care Trust, Bristol University Rag Committee, Clerical Medical, Clevedon Town Council, Diageo Foundation, Leeds Building Society, North Somerset Social Services, Paradigm Norton Trust, Quartet Community Foundation, Royal & Sun Alliance, St Monica Trust, Shipshape & Bristol Fashion Ltd, Simplyhealth People Ltd, South Gloucestershire Council, Swindon Borough Council, Waitrose, and Wessex Water.

© 2003–12 RSVP West. Page last updated on 4 November 2011.