VOLFEST is back!

Thursday, 5 June | 9.30am-4pm | Chelmsford High Street

Chelmsford, Essex – Chelmsford CVS is excited to announce the return of VOLFEST 2025, the city’s vibrant celebration of community, compassion, and connection, taking place on Thursday, 5 June in the heart of Chelmsford High Street.

Now in its seventh year, VOLFEST continues to grow as a cornerstone event during National Volunteers Week, bringing together 50 local charities to showcase the life-changing impact of volunteering and community services.

VOLFEST is your chance to:

  • Access support for you and your loved ones from trusted local organisations
  • Discover the inspiring work of Chelmsford’s diverse voluntary sector
  • Explore meaningful volunteering opportunities that suit your time and talents
  • Connect with real people making a difference in your city
  • Enjoy music, food, and family-friendly activities in a lively festival atmosphere

Lorraine Jarvis, Chief Officer of Chelmsford CVS, said:

“Every year at VOLFEST, I’m moved by the incredible creativity, resilience and passion shown by our local charities. They consistently go above and beyond, especially when times are tough. The whole High Street is filled with colour, conversation and community spirit on Volfest day —it’s a real celebration of everything that makes Chelmsford District special. I feel proud and privileged to be part of it.”

She added:

“Volunteering truly has the power to change lives—whether it’s the personal growth of those who give their time or the positive impact they make on our local community. Every year at VOLFEST, I see firsthand how much richness and talent there is in our district. It’s inspiring to watch so many new people step forward, often for the first time, to connect with charities. For those who aren’t sure where to start, VOLFEST is the perfect place to explore the many ways they can get involved and make a difference.”

Since its launch in 2019, VOLFEST has celebrated the spirit of people working together for the benefit of all. Each year, hundreds of visitors discover new ways to get involved or find support. Many take the opportunity to sign up for one of the hundreds of volunteering roles promoted at the event.

This year’s attendees include well-loved local organisations such as Cool To Be Kind, Sanctus, Farleigh Hospice, Wilderness Foundation, and City of Chelmsford Mencap— as well as some you may not be so familiar with, all ready to connect with the community and share their incredible work.

We will have our usual food and drink vendors on site with Falafel Street providing the best in all things veggie, as well as that caffeine fix from CoffeeStop. Other local businesses and vendors such as Wenzels and Toast will be supporting our charity guests, and our raffle.  Of course the event wouldn’t be complete without some entertainment so Hotbox will be on hand to provide the tunes!

More participating businesses and guests will be announced soon!

Don’t miss this uplifting day of community spirit and celebration.

#VOLFEST2025  #ChelmsfordVolunteersWeek

We are now fully booked for 2025!

Open to all members of Chelmsford CVS, VolFest has become an unmissable event for recruiting volunteers, engaging with the public, attracting interest, and making valuable connections with other local services. We are now fully booked for 2025.

Scroll down for photos from previous years…

 

Thank you to our Sponsors!

We are extremely grateful to receive support for this event from The County Hotel Chelmsford, and Chelmsford For You.

Please get in touch if you are interested in supporting next years festival.

Make sure that you follow us on Twitter for more updates about the event!