Guide to Volunteer Opportunities in Great Yarmouth, Gorleston & Norfolk

If you’re looking for volunteering opportunities that help people stay active, support wellbeing and strengthen community connections in Great Yarmouth and Norfolk - this guide is for you.

From grassroots sport and outdoor wellbeing to youth programmes and inclusive activities, local organisations across the area rely heavily on volunteers to keep sessions, events and community projects running.

This guide also forms part of Mental Health Awareness Week, highlighting the positive impact volunteering can have on mental wellbeing. Volunteering can help reduce loneliness, build confidence, create routine and give people a sense of purpose and belonging, while helping others stay active and connected too.

Great Yarmouth Sport & Leisure Trust is proud to support many local clubs and organisations through grant funding towards equipment, development and facilities, helping them continue to deliver sport, physical activity and wellbeing opportunities across the region.

Whether you can spare a few hours a month or want to volunteer regularly, this guide will help you find a local opportunity that suits you.

Football Club Volunteering in Great Yarmouth & Surrounding Villages

Grassroots football in Norfolk depends heavily on volunteers - from coaching and matchday support to fundraising and admin. Volunteering in football is a great way to support young people, build confidence and stay involved in your local community, no professional coaching experience is required.

Here are just some of the most local clubs which have all been GYSLT Grant Recipients over the years, that would love to hear from you:

Hemsby Football Club https://www.facebook.com/HemsbyFC/
Yarmouth Football Club https://gytfc.co.uk/volunteers/
Hopton Harriers Football Club https://www.hoptonharriersfc.co.uk/
Gorleston Football Club https://www.gorlestonfc.com/
Martham Football Club https://www.facebook.com/MarthamFC1/
Shrublands Football Club https://www.shrublandsfootballclub.co.uk/

Alternatively head to the Norfolk FA website for details about volunteering and a hub of opportunities https://www.norfolkfa.com/volunteers

Support Outdoor & Community Wellbeing Projects

Outdoor volunteering can be especially beneficial for wellbeing, helping reduce stress while improving local spaces for the wider community.

Bread Kitchen (a GYSLT Grant recipient) in Great Yarmouth is an award-winning community interest company based on a 4.5-acre site in Cobholm that provides outdoor education, therapeutic gardening, animal care, and life skills training. Founded in 2016, it operates as a "Good to Grow" project supporting local people of all ages to improve mental wellbeing, gain qualifications, reduce isolation, and improve employability. They welcome volunteers to support gardening and community growing projects. Find out more at https://breadkitchen.org
Willow Tree Centre offers volunteering in community wellbeing and activity programmes. Willow Tree Garden is a registered charity based in Belton, near Great Yarmouth (NR31 9LU), that serves as a tranquil, multi-purpose educational site for people with disabilities. It offers a safe environment for learners to engage in horticulture, crafts, and skills training to boost independence. Find out more at Willow Tree Centre volunteering

These opportunities are ideal for people who enjoy being outdoors and want to make a visible difference locally.

Centre 81’s Skills & Activity Centre relies on volunteers

Community Centres & ACCESSIBLE ACTIVITIES

Community hubs across the area rely on volunteers to support activities, events and local wellbeing programmes.

Shrublands Community Trust, another GYSLT recipient, is a long-standing community hub providing affordable activities, facilities, and support for all ages, including a food club.
Originally established in 1949, the centre on Magdalen Way serves as a vibrant volunteer-staffed hub for local residents, promoting health, wellbeing, and community connections. Contact them for volunteering info https://shrublandstrust.org.uk/
Centre 81 in Great Yarmouth, GYSLT recipient in 2025, is a registered charity and community hub providing a skills and activities centre and a door-to-door community transport service for people with disabilities.
Their Skills & Activity centre focuses on empowering individuals over 16 with physical, sensory, or learning disabilities, helping them build independence and reduce social isolation. The team have volunteering opportunity details here https://centre81.co.uk/volunteer/

Volunteering in these settings can help build strong social connections and reduce isolation

Youth & Cadet Volunteering Opportunities

Supporting young people through activities, adventure and mentoring can be one of the most rewarding ways to volunteer.

Great Yarmouth Sea Cadets love helping young people launch well in today’s world. Watching cadets grow into better versions of themselves is what makes volunteering for this charity so special.
Find out more about volunteering with this GYSLT Grant recipient at https://www.sea-cadets.org/yarmouth/volunteer-with-us

Winterton Marine Cadets: Another GYSLT Grant recipient, the 901 Troop Marine Cadets (TS Fearless) in Winterton-on-Sea, a volunteer-led charity founded in 2001 for ages 10-18, is always seeking adult volunteers to help with training, administration, and fundraising to support youth development in the Great Yarmouth area.
Find out more about how you can get involved at https://wintertononsea-pc.gov.uk/901-troop-marine-cadets/

The Scouts also offers flexible volunteering roles for people who enjoy teamwork, planning or working with young people. https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteer/

Many volunteers say youth volunteering helps build strong social connection and purpose for themselves too.

Sport & Physical Activity Volunteering

Sport volunteering is a great way to stay active while helping others.

Gorleston Tennis Club have volunteer Park Tennis Activators supported by the LTA Tennis Foundation help deliver fun, accessible tennis sessions in Gorleston. Plus, the club seeks assistance for managing social tennis sessions, supporting community coaching, and running special events. https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/GorlestonTennisClub
Park Runs in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Beach relies on volunteers every week. Roles include marshalling, timing and encouragement - no running required! https://www.parkrun.com/volunteer/
Vision Norfolk is launching, in 2026, a tandem cycling pilot, helping vision-impaired people enjoy cycling and stay active and are looking for volunteers in Great Yarmouth area https://www.visionnorfolk.org.uk/accessible-tandem-cycling-rides-in-norwich/ https://www.getinvolvednorfolk.org.uk/o/Vision-Norfolk/opportunities/Tandem-Cycling-Pilot---Great-Yarmouth-Area/114067

These roles are ideal for people who enjoy sport, movement and community engagement.

Specialist & SUPPORT-BASED Volunteering

Some volunteer roles focus on wellbeing, inclusion and community support:

Feathers Futures is a safe and friendly place for women in Great Yarmouth. They know everyone has their own strengths, skills, and life experiences. Whatever time you can give, and whatever your background, you can help make a real difference to women in their community.
At Feathers Futures, volunteers are part of the family. You will receive friendly training, guidance, and chances to learn at your own pace. https://feathersfutures.org/volunteer/
The Matthew Project recruits youth befrienders supporting young people through positive relationships and activities.
Youth befriender volunteering

Volunteer at Events & Rescue Organisations

Give your time to renowned heritage events and community organisations

Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service is entirely volunteer-run and always looking for people to support operations, fundraising and community engagement.
Saving lives at sea since 1791, they’re completely independent, and depend entirely on public donations to provide safety and rescue services to the countless vessels, crews and beach visitors to this area of the East Coast. Find out more at Caister Lifeboat volunteering
Out There Arts support the creation, development, and presentation of high-quality circus and street arts, while fostering community regeneration in Great Yarmouth.
They produce the region's largest festival of outdoor arts and circus, the Out There Festival, usually drawing over 60,000 visitors each May, which thrives thanks to local volunteers. Plus additional opportunities through the year to get involved https://outtherearts.org.uk/volunteer/

Explore More Volunteering Opportunities in Norfolk

If you’re not sure where to start, volunteering fairs and directories are a great way to explore opportunities, with these two examples being gold-mines of information about volunteering in Great Yarmouth and Norfolk more generally.

You can explore hundreds of opportunities including:

sport and physical activity
youth organisations
outdoor projects
wellbeing programmes
community events
environmental volunteering

Ready to Get Involved?

Whether you can spare an hour a week or a few hours a month, volunteering can make a real difference - both to your local community and your own wellbeing.

With plenty of grassroots sport and youth activities, outdoor wellbeing and inclusive community programmes in our area, there are lots of ways to help people stay active and connected across Great Yarmouth and Norfolk.

Apply for a Grant: Could This Be Your Club or Group?

These projects highlight the broad range of initiatives GYSLT grants can support – from equipment and facilities to accessibility improvements and new activity spaces.

If you are part of an amazing sport or leisure team, or maybe run a leisure or fitness activity, and would like to apply for up to £500 of funding, we are taking applications now.

Find out how you can apply for a grant, and view the application form, here >