Volunteering
We have around 40 magnificent volunteers carrying out numerous tasks.
We operate the Social Café from 10:30 to 1:45 pm each Wednesday. Clients visit FoodShare on Wednesdays also to collect their weekly shopping. They normally come between 12:00 and 2:00 pm.
Our Team system:
09:00 to 10:30 am - Donations Team: Our donations team sort out, date and crate up your valued donations.
10:30 to 12:00 pm - Stock Control Team: The stock control team ensure that stock is cared for according to use by dates and manage our stock. At the same time another part of this team replenishes the shelves in our portable shop.
10:30 to 2:15 pm - Kitchen Team: Working in two shifts the kitchen team provide freshly cooked soup, snacks and beverages to clients and other café users.
10:30 to 2:15 pm - Café Team: Again, working in two shifts, our café / fellowship team focus on the social café and ensure that clients are made welcome, don’t have to sit alone, unless they want to, and through general conversation, look for ways in which we can further help clients.
10:30 to 2:15 pm - Welcoming Team: Another two shift roster, our welcomers are the client's first point of contact and help make their experience less stressful and perhaps intimidating.
12:00 to 2:15 pm - Shopping Team: Our shopping team help clients, when needed, with their shop and liaise with the delivery team.
1:00 to 2:30 pm - Delivery Team: Volunteer drivers liaise with the shopping team and get the food home to the client if they can’t manage that for themselves.
Throughout the week the following teams operate:
Co-ordination Team leader keeps things running smoothly, liaising with all shifts, clients, other foodbanks, networks and agencies. This is a difficult role, often ‘spinning many plates at the same time’.
Referrals Team leader works with local and national agencies to ensure that people who need our help get the support that they need. We have to be fair and non-judgemental by understanding what the underlying causes of a client’s problem might be.
Our Admin & Finance Team work in the background running our finances, HR, health & saftey, communications and funding strategies.
Join us as a volunteer!
Please complete the form to apply for a position with us.
Steven's Story
I arrived in Dunbar on 17th February, 2017 from being homeless. I had been given the Dunbar Basics Bank details from CHANGES, a community health project based in Musselburgh.
What I remember about my first referral is how welcome I was made to feel right from the start with Mike meeting me at the front door. I know that coming to organisations like the foodbank can be very daunting and that people often find the first time very stressful.
Not so here at Dunbar Basics, from Mike at the door and the initial meeting with the core team members who explained excellently how things are done to the offer of a freshly made bowl of home made soup, some great home baked delights and a cup of tea or coffee.
The whole atmosphere was very friendly and within a very short time I began to feel very much at home and I remember clearly thinking that this place was going to play a very big part in my recovery and acceptance into the community and it has done, and continues to do so after four very happy years.
I am proud to say that I am now part of this wonderful team. I am able to give back, to others, the love, kindness and friendship which was shown to me. I will be eternally grateful.
Steven