Do you volunteer?

I've been a volunteer with Girlguiding UK for 35 years. I'm a leader with 2 Rainbow units as well as a Guide and Ranger Unit and love it, I've attended and helped organise a whole variety of trips, events, camps and residentials over the years and met some amazing people.

I do lots of different volunteering. It gives me a real sense of purpose and has given me all sorts of different opportunities.
I’ve just had the most amazing experience as a volunteer at the British Transplant Games. I did some basic admin work, general stewarding and helped out at some of the events. It was truly humbling and life affirming, and a real privilege to be part of the transplant community. I read about the games on our local council website, and it had to be a real highlight of my year.

Thank you everyone, this has given me lots of thought as what I can do 😀

I volunteer in a hospice charity shop and also volunteer at local primary school ,to listen to readers.

I volunteer for a few varied organisations. …
At my local small theatre as an usher..
At a local charity as a Befriender, I also collect and deliver prescriptions and do food shopping for elderly people who are unable to get out.
Also at my local Police HQ escorting visitors and role play for trainees.
An interesting variety!

Yes I volunteer both as the Chairman of a local history group - which is relatively straight forward but can be demanding -but more importantly as a volunteer for the national Heritage Open Days )see Google) which operate all across the country in mid September, this year they are Friday 11th - Sunday 20th, and offers a really useful way to ‘help out’ your local group and have a bit of fun without putting yourself out too much - so a brilliant way to start volunteering and soon.

I am the volunteer fundraising Chair for our local RNLI station. Ive volunteered there for the past 4 years. Used to be in the shop on the pier.

I volunteer for a local food bank, I stand at the entrance of my local Sainsbury's for two hours on a Sunday each month and ask shoppers to buy something extra for the food bank.
People are amazing and very generous, we do very well, some people bring a carrier bag full and occasionally a whole trolley full which makes me quite emotional.
I retired quite a few years ago and didn't want anything too regular but find that this really suits me and I get to meet some lovely people.

I volunteered with St John Ambulance Brigade from age 12 for 27 years, also as a leader with Scouting and Girl Guiding for about 25 years. An instructor in a swimming club for the Disabled for 10 years and Riding for the Disabled for a couple of years with a few other short term commitments. In the end I felt all volunteered out and ill health also kicked in so I don't do it any more.

Chicklette

Brightphoebus If you like the idea of helping at a child contact centre you could look at www.naccc.com and search for a centre near you. You could then contact them and see if they need new volunteers. I’m always thrilled if people want to volunteer.

Thank you, I will!

I will do that. Thank You!

Vounteered with a few organisations. Victim Support, (supported victims of all different crimes)
Homestart, (supported families with children under 5 years.
Learning for Adults (helping adults to read) and currently cashier with a Men's organisation. Go in a couple of times a week and sort out their cash, receipts, banking.
Enjoyed being with all the organisations.
There are loads of opportunities to volunteer out there, you will be most welcome.

I’ve always worked volunteering for the last 40 years in various roles.
Now I’m retired, I just help moderate a recycling group, which keeps things out of landfill, and odd collection days for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

I volunteer at my local Animal Rescue Center.
The animals don’t tell me what to do or answer me back like today’s younger generation do, it’s rewarding and I love the cuddles!

I enjoy my role as a Bookmark volunteer . It’s a brilliantly run organisation that is simply about facilitating regular weekly reading sessions with school children . These can be online with access to a huge variety of books and games , or in school with hands on resources . The Bookmark staff are friendly and supportive and have created a volunteer community that is good to be part of . The children are a joy . They always want new volunteers anywhere in the country.

Volunteered at a Charity shop for 28 years after having to take Medical Retirement. Mainly dealt with all the donated books, cd’s, vinyl & sometimes went on the Till! Really enjoyed doing something worthwhile that made me happy. Met some lovely people though one Manager, short lived, was a pain! Would encourage anyone thinking of Volunteering to give it a try! I only stopped due to ill health.

I volunteer at our library once a week.
I also volunteer at a local primary school helping children read 1:1 every Wednesday or day to suit.
I used to volunteer at Citizens Advice until they closed down the office. Plus did NT for a year and a councillor on our town council for two years.
For years I volunteered on the committee for our county netball league.
All very enjoyable and rewarding plus keeps the brain going🤓

I volunteer once a week at the local hospital manning the Help Desk- showing people where to go for their clinics, finding out where patients are, fielding complaints about parking - anything really!
I also volunteer at the Community Library. It gives me a routine, helps keep me sane and gives me a purpose. I was bereft during COVID when everywhere shut down and I have made some wonderful friends. Thoroughly recommend it!

I used my professional skills and was a school governor for 22 years.

Brightphoebus If you like the idea of helping at a child contact centre you could look at www.naccc.com and search for a centre near you. You could then contact them and see if they need new volunteers. I’m always thrilled if people want to volunteer.

I volunteer at our local Community Food Hub. I mainly help out in the mornings with the delivery from FareShare and sorting the boxes. I also cover the cashiering when the regular lady is away. The other volunteers are very friendly and we have a lot of fun - I'd really miss it now if I had to give up.
We have many regular customers and I've met a lot of people in the community that I wouldn't have otherwise as I'm not very sociable!!
I will say that it's quite shocking how many of the younger folk don't know what to do with some of the veg we are given from the local allotments... (courgettes, marrows, etc).
From my own point of view, as we never know what we're getting till we see the despatch note, I have tried quite a few foods/items that I would never have bought in a supermarket. I really treasure my Thursdays now and find it very rewarding.

I found an advert online for a volunteer helper with a community group who meet once a week to chat, quiz, and needed someone to play music with lyrics so they could sing along. All my favourite things, and I’ve been happily helping out for about 4 years. I always say I get as much from it as the people who attend.

I'm the treasurer for the local cats protection branch and handle all their neutering queries for assisted neutering on the phone - all from home

That sounds such an interesting place to volunteer, Chicklette. I worked with under-fives for 38 years and feel I could be of help in this area. I'm looking up opportunities now.

I work for a voluntary organisation (part time) and volunteer there twice a month. It is a supported child contact centre. We offer a safe space for children to visit the parent they don’t live with. It can be hard work, particularly emotionally, but I love what we do. And our volunteers are fantastic and a great group of people who are all incredibly friendly. I’d suggest that kind of work to anyone who has a free day each month.
I also volunteer for our local parish nurse once or twice a month. I only really register people for the exercise class and take their money, but I get to meet a lot of lovely people.