FACT has always relied on volunteers to help it achieve its mission to care for visitors through education, adventure and relaxation.
In return FACT is committed to investing in its volunteers by helping them to:
- develop personal faith and discipleship
- increase skills and qualifications
- grow in maturity, service and leadership.
FACT is continually nurturing a community of volunteers and staff that make a vibrant, lively impact on our visitors. How does this happen? Volunteers help in four main areas:
- sailing and outdoor activities
- cooking and catering for all
- supporting visitors’ courses
- cleaning and maintenance of Trinity.
Obviously, some tasks require qualified personnel, for example, sailing instructors need to be qualified to RYA Seamanship or an equivalent sailing assessment.
How can I volunteer?
Contact our office (01621 868113) (volunteering@fact.org.uk) to discuss opportunities, and for a Volunteer Application and then return it to the FACT office. References will be followed up and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks will be made for reasons of child protection. Once accepted as a volunteer, you will be invited to join a training weekend (Shakedown or Laying-up – see below) and be free to volunteer whenever you wish.
Cost: volunteers are asked to make a contribution to their food costs. However, we accept that some volunteers are not always able to make a contribution, and do not wish money to be a barrier.
FACT runs two important volunteer weekends every year, one at the beginning of the season and the other at the end…
Shakedown volunteer training weekend (early Spring)
Apart from being an opportunity to visit your favourite Lightship, make new friends, contemplate the God stuff, eat cake (of course), and to sail Wayfarers and Picos right at the start of the new season– it’s a must for all volunteers to get powered up for the coming year, with helpful sessions covering all aspects of volunteering. The date for Shakedown 2024 is 1st-3rd March.
Laying-Up weekend (October)
Get all boats home and dry for the winter, shift tonnes of shingle, eat more acres of cake. Then there’s the yummy meals, barn dance and worship. The Laying-up weekend is a great way for volunteers to round off the season and it’s an ideal event to invite friends to. The date for Laying-Up 2024 is 8th-10th November.