Industry charity NewstrAid is calling on new people to become Welfare Volunteers.

Welfare Volunteers will typically contact their beneficiaries around three times a year providing a service, which is ‘valued as much as the financial support’ the charity offers, NewstrAid said.

Katie Babooram, welfare manager for NewstrAid, said: “We are always looking for new people to become Welfare Volunteers. It is a rewarding role and full training is given in advance. If you are working and your employer offers volunteer days, you could use these to support NewstrAid in this role. The key things you need are some spare time and empathy for those who are going through a tough time.”

Previously named Almoners, NewstrAid has renamed the group as Welfare Volunteers.

Babooram added: “The name ‘Almoner’ is increasingly being misunderstood by both beneficiaries and prospective new volunteers to the extent that it is becoming a barrier to finding new people to take on the role. With this in mind we have taken the decision to rename this brilliant group of people who will now be called Welfare Volunteers.”

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