The monthly e-newsletter is our main channel for communicating with volunteers. It generally goes out on the second Thursday of the month, though the schedule can sometimes change, especially around the festive period.
The e-newsletter contains information to help all volunteers feel connected to the organisation and support them in their roles — plus a dedicated section for the many volunteers in our local groups, and a listing of events volunteers can join.
You can find back issues of the e-newsletter here.
Below, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the e-newsletter:
Who receives the monthly volunteer e-newsletter?
Our e-newsletters are sent to everyone on our central database who has an active volunteer role with us.
Can I change the email address where the e-newsletters are sent to me?
Of course! If you have more than one email address on our database, the system will automatically send our e-newsletters to whichever is marked as ‘primary’. You can change this preference at any time by contacting the Volunteer Support Team (VST) on [email protected] or 0300 500 8084 #3. Or you can ask them to remove an old email address and add a new one instead.
Why isn’t there an option to unsubscribe from the e-newsletters?
As these aren’t marketing emails, we’re not obliged to offer this. Our e-newsletters contain information which volunteers need to know, so we don’t think opting out is appropriate. And, of course, we hope that all the content is of interest!
I know a volunteer who hasn’t been receiving your e-newsletters. How can they fix that?
There are various reasons why somebody might not be receiving our emails — and some actions they can take.
Firstly, they should check their ‘Junk’ or ‘Spam’ folder, in case our emails are going into there. If so, they should be able to fix their settings so that our emails go to their inbox instead.
If this isn’t the case, they should contact VST to check that we’re using the correct email address for them. If we’re using an old address, we can change it for a new one.
If we’re using a current email address, and our messages aren’t going into ‘Junk’ or ‘Spam’, then the problem is harder to diagnose. Although we don’t offer the option to unsubscribe from these emails, some email providers offer a user the chance to unsubscribe from particular messages. If a volunteer has said ‘yes’ to this in the past, then our messages won’t get through to them. If this might have happened and they have an alternative email address (such as an MS Society email address) available, they could ask VST to update our records so we try sending to that one instead.
If, while another volunteer is sorting things out, you can forward our emails to them, that would be greatly appreciated.
What other communication channels should I be checking?
If you’re reading our e-newsletters, then you’re keeping on top of everything we need to share with you. However, some of our updates are published on the volunteer website before going into the newsletter. So it’s worth checking the front page regularly for the very latest news.
To hear the latest organisational updates straight from Nick, our Chief Executive, join our Volunteer Voice sessions. They take place every two months on Zoom, and are also an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. The next one’s in September, so look out for details of how to sign up.
I have a question or comment about volunteer communications. Where can I send it?
Please email the Volunteer Engagement & Comms Team on [email protected].
