Volunteers needed to look after the herd

January 3, 2023

Havens Hospices is looking for volunteers to help with its unforgettable public art trail, Herd In The City, coming to the City later this year.

The local charity is looking for positive and enthusiastic 'Volunt-eles', aged 16 or over, to engage with trail-goers and look after 45 uniquely designed elephant sculptures placed around the streets of Southend-on-Sea, Shoeburyness and Leigh-on-Sea.

The role includes helping trail-goers to find their way around the trail, checking on the sculptures to ensure they are clean and well-maintained and reporting any issues to the charity. It involves walking, so a good level of fitness is needed, as well as being an enthusiastic communicator who is confident talking to and engaging with people.

The trail runs from the week commencing Monday 10 July, for eight weeks, and the charity is looking for 'Volunt-eles' to give a minimum of four hours of their time per week, between the hours of 10am and 2pm or 2pm and 6pm on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday during the trail.

At the end of the trail, the elephants will be sold at auction to raise thousands of pounds for the free, specialist hospice care Havens Hospices provides for local adults, children, and their families following the success of the charity’s ‘Hares About Town’ trail in 2021, which raised more than £447,000 for local hospice care.

Kim Hamber, Volunteer Experience Manager for Havens Hospices, says, “Volunteering for Herd In The City gives you the unique opportunity to be a key part of a high-profile event raising awareness and much-needed funds for Havens Hospices, as well as giving something back to your local community.

“It’s an ideal way to share the skills you have or learn new ones and is a great addition to your CV for education or employment applications.”

Full training and support will be provided throughout the trail. As a thank you for supporting the trail, ‘Volunteles’ will receive limited edition merchandise and be invited to the Farewell event in September.

The Havens Hospices Volunteer Services Team will be in Southend-on-Sea’s City centre this month, signing up ‘Volunteles’. Find them outside the Victoria Shopping Centre on Friday 6 January and under the railway bridge on the High Street on Tuesday 17 January.

They will also be holding drop-in sessions at Fair Havens in Priority Crescent on Thursday 26th January, 4-6pm and Tuesday 31st January, 10.00 – 11.30am, for those who would like to sign up in person.

If you think you are up to the ‘tusk’, find out more and apply online to be ‘Voluntele’ at www.havenshospices.org.uk/voluntele.