Volunteer to help your community

A great way to gain and share skills and help your local area.

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Please read more below about where you can volunteer to help West Berkshire Council.

Volunteering for Culture and Libraries

Volunteering with our Culture and Libraries service is a fantastic way to meet new people, support your wellbeing, develop new skills, and make a positive difference in your local community.

You can give as much or as little time as you wish—whether that's running a weekly session, helping occasionally at events, or bringing your own ideas for new activities.

Below are the volunteering roles available:

Community Library Volunteers

Community Library Volunteers help keep our libraries running smoothly so that stock is organised, accessible, and welcoming. We truly value the time and support volunteers provide, and the benefits it brings to customers, staff, and the wider community.

• Assist library users with self‑service machines
• Shelve returned items and check condition/sequence
• Keep the library space tidy and inviting

Duke of Edinburgh Award Placement Volunteer

A great opportunity for DofE participants to support their local library, learn new skills, and engage with the community.

• Helping customers with self‑service kiosks
• Supporting children's activities (supervised)
• Shelving and tidying tasks

At Home Service Volunteer

Our At Home Service delivers books and other library materials every three weeks to West Berkshire residents who cannot easily leave their homes due to disability, illness, mobility issues, or frailty. Volunteers play an essential part in delivering this service.

Club Volunteers

Support our clubs and activities by helping run sessions or assisting with setup and delivery. Examples include:

Code Club
Ageing Creatively Café
Art Group
Reminiscence Group

West Berkshire Museum Volunteers

Café Volunteer - West Berkshire Museum

Support the museum café by:
• Serving drinks
• Interacting with service users of all ages
• Creating a warm, friendly environment
• Supporting the wider museum visitor experience

Learning and Participation Volunteer - West Berkshire Museum

Support our Messy Mornings and other hands‑on family activities by:
• Setting up craft sessions
• Assisting with craft activities
• Helping families get creative
• Being willing to dress for mess

Please note:

There are currently no opportunities for collections work due to an ongoing store move.

We are also not able to provide work experience opportunities at Shaw House or West Berkshire Museum.

Shaw House Volunteers

Café Volunteer - Shaw House

Help support the café at Shaw House by:
• Serving drinks
• Providing friendly customer service
• Supporting income‑boosting for this historic venue

House Experience Volunteer - Shaw House

Support visitors by offering assistance, sharing information, and helping ensure a positive and engaging visitor experience throughout Shaw House.