Organisation: Come Out Of Hiding – The Lighthouse Network CIC (COOH)
Job title: Community Logistics Driver
Reports to: Programme Coordinator / Programme Manager
Working arrangement: On-site and community-based
Hours: Thursdays, 11am–1pm — 2 hours per week
Pay: £15 per hour, plus approved business mileage and authorised expenses
Basic weekly pay: £30
Contract: Initial fixed-term contract from October to December 2026, with the possibility of extension subject to funding, organisational need and satisfactory performance
Passenger transport: This role does not involve transporting children, young people, community members or other passengers
Organisational overview
Come Out Of Hiding – The Lighthouse Network CIC (COOH) is a Christian, community-rooted organisation serving communities of the same faith, all faiths and no faith.
We are committed to nurturing, equipping and empowering young people and families from underserved communities. Our work focuses on wellbeing, employability, leadership development and community engagement, underpinned by strong safeguarding practice and Christian values.
Purpose of the role
The Community Logistics Driver will provide reliable weekly transport and practical support for COOH’s community food, wellbeing and programme-delivery activities. The post-holder will collect donated food, supplies and other authorised items from agreed partners and collection points, including Felix Project-related collections, and deliver them safely to COOH’s designated community venue. The role also includes returning empty crates, supporting loading and unloading, completing basic collection records and helping ensure that donated items are available for COOH’s Thursday community sessions. This is a logistics role only and does not include transporting participants or other passengers.
Main responsibilities
Collections and deliveries
- Collect donated food, supplies, equipment and other authorised items from agreed collection points.
- Deliver collected items promptly and safely to the designated COOH venue.
- Return empty crates, containers or equipment to relevant partners when required.
- Follow the collection route, timetable and instructions provided by the Programme Coordinator.
- Notify the Programme Coordinator promptly of delays, missed collections, vehicle problems or other operational difficulties.
- Obtain permission before undertaking additional journeys or incurring expenses on COOH’s behalf.
Loading, unloading and handling
- Support the safe loading and unloading of food donations, crates and programme supplies.
- Secure all items safely inside the vehicle to prevent movement, contamination, loss or damage.
- Handle donated food carefully and follow all relevant food-safety, hygiene and handling instructions.
- Keep the part of the vehicle used to transport food and supplies reasonably clean, dry and suitable for the items being carried.
- Use any equipment provided and follow COOH’s manual-handling procedures.
- Report damaged, spoiled, contaminated or unsafe items immediately.
Records and communication
- Maintain an accurate record of authorised business mileage.
- Complete collection, delivery, inventory or handover records when required.
- Obtain and retain receipts for authorised parking or other approved expenses.
- Communicate respectfully with donors, food-distribution partners, venue staff, volunteers and COOH team members.
- Protect confidential information encountered while undertaking the role.
- Report accidents, incidents, near misses, safeguarding concerns or damage immediately in accordance with COOH procedures.
Health, safety and compliance
- Drive safely, lawfully and in accordance with the Highway Code.
- Ensure that the vehicle used remains roadworthy, taxed and covered by a valid MOT where required.
- Complete vehicle and load-safety checks before starting each collection.
- Follow COOH’s health-and-safety, lone-working, food-safety, safeguarding and incident-reporting procedures.
- Refrain from using a handheld mobile telephone while driving.
- Inform COOH immediately of any driving disqualification, relevant conviction, insurance restriction, licence change or medical condition that may affect safe driving.
- Attend required induction, supervision and role-specific training within allocated paid hours.
Pay, mileage and expenses
The postholder will be paid £15 per hour for all authorised working time.
Working time includes:
- Driving between authorised collection, delivery and return locations;
- Loading and unloading;
- Waiting at authorised collection points;
- Returning crates or containers;
- Completing required handover and journey records; and
- Reporting operational incidents arising during the shift.
Where the post-holder uses their own vehicle, approved business mileage will be reimbursed separately at COOH’s approved mileage rate, currently:
- 45p per mile for the first 10,000 authorised business miles in a tax year; and
- 25p per mile thereafter.
Ordinary commuting is not normally claimable unless COOH confirms otherwise in writing. Any treatment of travel from home to the first collection point or from the final work location will be confirmed according to the agreed normal reporting location and applicable HMRC rules.
Pre-authorised parking, congestion or other necessary delivery-related charges will be reimbursed upon submission of valid receipts. Penalties, fines and charges resulting from a breach of traffic or parking rules will not be reimbursed. Mileage and expenses must be submitted through COOH’s approved expenses process with the required journey information and supporting evidence.
Vehicle and insurance requirements
Where the post-holder uses their own vehicle, they must:
- Hold a full and valid UK driving licence appropriate for the vehicle being used;
- Have access to a reliable and suitable vehicle with adequate capacity for the anticipated collections;
- Maintain valid motor insurance covering the specific paid work-related collection and transportation duties undertaken for COOH;
- Provide COOH with written confirmation from their motor insurer that the policy covers these duties;
- Maintain valid vehicle tax and an MOT certificate where legally required; and
- provide updated documents when requested and whenever the policy, vehicle or circumstances change.
COOH’s general business insurance does not replace the post-holder’s legally required motor insurance.
The postholder must not transport children, young people, service users or other passengers as part of this role unless the duties are formally changed, a separate risk assessment is completed and COOH confirms the necessary insurance and safeguarding arrangements in writing.
Person specification
Essential requirements
- Hold a full clean and valid UK driving licence.
- Have regular access to a suitable, reliable and roadworthy vehicle.
- Be able to obtain motor insurance that expressly covers the required work-related collections and deliveries.
- Be available consistently on Thursdays from 11am to 1pm.
- Be punctual, dependable and able to follow agreed collection times.
- Be confident driving within Lewisham and surrounding South East London areas.
- Be able to plan routes and respond appropriately to reasonable operational changes.
- Be able to handle food donations, supplies and crates safely, using appropriate equipment and reasonable adjustments where required.
- Communicate clearly and respectfully with community partners and COOH team members.
- Maintain accurate mileage, collection and expense records.
- Understand the importance of confidentiality, safeguarding, food safety and health and safety.
- Work respectfully within COOH’s Christian-inspired and inclusive organisational ethos.
- Have the right to work in the United Kingdom.
Desirable requirements
- Previous driving, delivery, logistics, warehouse or community-food experience.
- Experience working with a charity, CIC, food-distribution project or community organisation.
- Familiarity with Lewisham and the surrounding boroughs.
- Basic knowledge of food hygiene and safe manual handling.
- Experience collecting donations or working with food-redistribution partners.
- A current food-hygiene or manual-handling certificate.
Safeguarding and safer recruitment
COOH is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk. Appointment is subject to satisfactory references, identity and right-to-work checks, and an Enhanced DBS check and barred-list check where the duties are legally eligible.
The successful candidate must complete and maintain the safeguarding, Prevent, data-protection, health-and-safety and programme-specific training required for the role.
The appropriate level of DBS check will be determined by the final duties and applicable eligibility rules. A barred-list check will only be undertaken where the role legally constitutes regulated activity or otherwise meets the relevant statutory eligibility requirements.
Equality, inclusion and organisational ethos
COOH is a Christian-inspired and inclusive Community Interest Company serving people of all faiths and none.
The postholder must work respectfully with diverse communities and uphold COOH’s commitment to dignity, fairness, accessibility and non-discrimination. Reasonable adjustments will be considered throughout recruitment and employment.
Benefits
- Generous annual leave: 25 days’ annual leave per year, pro rata for part-time and fixed-term employees, plus COOH office closures over Christmas and New Year and an additional day off for your birthday.
- Workplace Pension Scheme: Access to COOH’s pension scheme, subject to statutory eligibility and auto-enrolment requirements.
- Learning and development: Dedicated paid time for relevant learning, with support for appropriate training and professional development, including access to COOH’s Entrepreneurship and Leadership Programme.
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme: Confidential access to counselling, wellbeing advice and practical support through COOH’s Employee Assistance Programme.
- Regular supervision and career development: Dedicated 1:1 supervision, ongoing feedback and opportunities to develop skills in community delivery and logistics, with potential progression as COOH grows and subject to funding.
- Mileage and approved expenses: Approved business mileage and authorised delivery-related expenses are reimbursed separately from wages.
Recruitment checks
Any offer of employment will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of the checks relevant to the role, including:
- Proof of identity;
- Evidence of the right to work in the UK;
- Verification of the candidate’s driving licence;
- Satisfactory references;
- Verification of motor insurance, vehicle tax and MOT where applicable;
- DBS and barred-list checks only where legally eligible;
- Completion of required induction and training; and
- Confirmation that the candidate can safely undertake the role, with reasonable adjustments considered where appropriate.
COOH reserves the right to withdraw an offer or suspend driving duties if the required driving, insurance, vehicle or safer-recruitment conditions are not met or maintained.
Pay: From £15.00 per hour
Expected hours: 2.0 per week
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Discounted or free food
- Paid training
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
