Lunch Club Team Leader (Volunteer role)
Overall Purpose of the Role
To contribute to Totnes Caring’s aim to support vulnerable people to live as independently as possible in the community, by delivering a Lunch Club which brings clients over 55 together, thereby reducing social isolation.
The Lunch Club
Lunch Club takes place twice weekly, currently on Monday and Friday, in the Quayside Bistro at the Guinness Trust, Steamer Quay Rd.
Duration: from about 12.05pm, or when the bus arrives, until departure at about 13.45pm. There may be more than one bus trip bringing people to the Club, depending on the numbers of clients using this mode of transport.
Volunteers need to arrive before 12 noon, in case some Lunch Club attendees arrive early, and leave when all attendees have safely departed, by approximately 2pm. Aside from the clients arriving by Totnes Caring’s minibus, some clients will make their own way or be brought in by Totnes Caring volunteer drivers.
Usual volunteer time commitment: 2 hours per lunch club, plus time needed to collect and return folder, documents and float to Follaton House. Additional time may be needed from time to time to resolve problems if they arise during lunch. Volunteers can apply to run one or both of the Lunch Clubs. There will usually be one or perhaps two other volunteers helping at Lunch Club.
Maximum number of attendees at Lunch Club 12.
Specific Tasks
- Collect the Lunch Club folder to include attendance sheet, bus transport sheet, order forms and Lunch Club float from Totnes Caring’s offices at Follaton House and return after Lunch Club.
- Liaise with Totnes Caring staff, Bistro and Quayside staff, as required, to ensure efficient operation of Lunch Club.
- Liaise with other Totnes Caring volunteers to ensure smooth running the club.
- Ensure that the space for Lunch Club is prepared and ready.
- Welcome Lunch Club attendees at the front door of Quayside and to assist those who need help to their seats.
- Facilitate an open, friendly, safe, supportive atmosphere amongst the attendees, chatting with them as appropriate, particularly those who seem more isolated.
- Welcome new Lunch Club members, orientating them to the venue, including toilets and fire exits and introducing them to existing group members.
- Make menus available and then sit and complete the order forms with attendees and, where necessary, assist attendees in selecting what they would like to eat and drink.
- Deliver the order forms to the bistro staff as soon as possible, then re-use the completed order forms to assist with both food distribution and payments.
- Ensure that all attendees pay the bistro for their meal and drinks
- Pay the bistro from the float, should an attendee forget money/card, put the Bistro receipt with the float. Inform TC staff.
- Pay the bistro from the float if alternative payment arrangements have been made in advance with carers.
- Ensure that all attendees depart from Quayside safely.
- Report any issues and concerns as soon as practicable to a member of Totnes Caring staff.
- Ask a member of Totnes Caring staff if help needed with any aspect of running Lunch Club.
- Regularly document activities by taking photographs for social media and sending them to Totnes Caring.
Reporting
To the Community Engagement Team, who will also be responsible for support and supervision.
Skills development
All volunteers are expected to attend any relevant training arranged from time to time.
Parking during Lunch Club
Volunteers coming by car to the Lunch Club venue at Quayside will need to use Long Marsh car park just beyond Quayside and claim their parking expenses.
Totnes Caring recognises that without the commitment of our volunteers it would not be possible to offer our services. If you join our volunteer team and think there are ways we can improve your volunteering experience, please let us know.