Working at Thomas Pocklington Trust

At Thomas Pocklington Trust, we know that our success is driven by the passion, expertise and dedication of our team members. Our mission is to empower blind and partially sighted individuals to live life on their terms, and it’s our exceptional staff who make this vision a reality. In recognition of their invaluable contributions, we take pride in offering a comprehensive package of rewards and benefits.

Who is Thomas Pocklington Trust?

Thomas Pocklington Trust is a national charity dedicated to delivering positive change for blind and partially sighted people. For more information about us and the work we do, please explore our website or get in touch with one of our teams.

  • Why choose a career with us

    Competitive compensation: We believe in compensating our employees fairly for their hard work and dedication. You can expect a competitive salary that reflects your skills and experience.

    Generous leave: We understand the importance of work-life balance which is why we offer a generous annual leave entitlement, along with public holidays.

    Secure your future: We contribute 5% of your salary into our pension scheme to help you plan for a secure and comfortable retirement.

    Continuous learning: We are committed to helping you grow professionally. We provide excellent opportunities to acquire new and specialist skills, ensuring you stay at the forefront of your career.

    Supportive work environment: We take pride in fostering a workplace that is supportive and inclusive. Joining our team means you’ll be part of an organisation that encourages your growth and values your contribution.

    Flexibility: As a flexible employer we believe that our staff members are our most valuable asset, and we are committed to retaining the very best workforce. We recognise the importance of offering flexible working arrangements to enable those with caring responsibilities, as well as those whose interests and aspirations impact on their time, to balance work and home lives.

    Health and Wellbeing: We offer a CashPlan to all employees to help with everyday costs including: dental, optical, complementary therapies, musculoskeletal conditions. This also includes gym membership discounts, virtual GP appointments, discounts on your shopping and much more.

    Commitment to equality and diversity: We are proud to hold the Disability Confident Employer accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to creating an inclusive workplace. We actively seek applications from diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities or sight loss experience. We guarantee interviews for all disabled applicants who meet minimum criteria. We welcome all qualified candidates regardless of age, gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or marital status.

Current Vacancies

No current vacancies

Volunteering Opportunities

Become a sighted guide and help make our 2026 conference accessible.

Apply by 27 April

What if a few hours of your time could transform someone’s conference experience? Sighted guide volunteers are being recruited to support blind and partially sighted delegates at this year’s Sight Loss Council Conference, taking place from 5 – 7 June 2026 at Hilton Leeds City.

The annual event brings together more than 100 volunteers from across the UK to explore key issues affecting blind and partially sighted people – and sighted guides play a crucial role in ensuring the weekend is accessible, enjoyable, and fully inclusive. No previous experience is required.

Sight Loss Councils, funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, are regional groups led by blind and partially sighted volunteers. We use our lived experience to shape inclusive services, influence decisions, and ensure accessibility in local communities. To help make this conference accessible, enjoyable, and smoothly run, we are looking for Sighted Guide Volunteers to support delegates throughout the weekend.

The Sighted Guide Role.

Sighted guiding is a safe and effective method of supporting someone with a vision impairment to move confidently through an environment. As a Sighted Guide Volunteer, you will assist blind or partially sighted delegates with navigating the venue and participating fully in conference activities.

Your support may include:

  • guiding delegates between workshops, meals, sessions, and awards events
  • helping people locate facilities, rooms, or equipment
  • supporting delegates in unfamiliar environments
  • assisting with travel around the venue or nearby areas
  • helping delegates find other attendees or staff
  • providing general sighted support as needed throughout the conference.

You may find the video ‘So, how do you guide a blind person’ useful prior to volunteering with Thomas Pocklington Trust, but full sighted guide training will be provided before the event.

How you will make a difference.

Your support ensures that blind and partially sighted volunteers can take part fully and independently in the conference. You will play a key role in:

  • Enabling delegates to move confidently and safely around the venue
  • Helping the event run smoothly from start to finish
  • Creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for everyone attending

This is a special event that brings people together — and you will be an important part of making that happen.

Skills, experience, and qualities needed.

No previous experience is required. We welcome volunteers who are:

  • Friendly, approachable, and great with people
  • Confident communicators
  • Calm, patient, and good listeners
  • Reliable, with strong time‑management skills
  • Comfortable being around assistance dogs
  • Mobile enough to guide another person safely

All necessary training will be provided, including sighted guiding techniques.

How the role will benefit you

Volunteering as a Sighted Guide offers a unique and rewarding experience. You will gain:

  • A deeper understanding of sight loss and disability
  • The chance to directly support BPS volunteers in their work
  • Opportunities to network with volunteers and staff from across the UK
  • The chance to observe and learn from conference workshops
  • Access to formal sighted guide training

Level of commitment

For the 2026 conference, we are looking for volunteers who can support on: Friday 5th June (PM), Saturday 6th June (AM, or PM) and/or Sunday 7th June (AM) 2026 at The Hilton Leeds City, Leeds.

You may volunteer for part or all of the weekend. Flexibility is appreciated, as support needs may vary across sessions.

Learning requirements

Before volunteering, you will need to complete:

  • Sighted Guiding training
  • Safeguarding and Health and Safety training
  • A pre‑conference briefing

Want to apply?

To apply or find out more, contact the volunteering team by 27 April at:

volunteering@pocklington.org.uk

Be part of something meaningful – support our volunteers and help make the 2026 conference a welcoming, accessible, and empowering event.

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