How do you give back to your community?

[WomenHour]

I sometimes feed the local geese.

I think I should do more. This thread is making me think. I support my parents who are having a tough time ... round there most days and spend a lot of time online and in the phone trying to keep Dad safely at home. I know that's not community but I feel it means the jobs don't fall to someone else!
When the kids were at school
I fundraised and did jobs for their music groups and bands.
I pick sackfuls plastic off our beaches in the winter months. But I'm there every day with the dog so that's no trouble.
I donate to my local food bank. I feel I ought to be proactive in that tbh. There's a street food project offshoot and I've wondered about that.
Hmmmm...

I have always given food to foodbanks and homeless charities collections. I now volunteer in a local foodbank and it’s one of the best things I have ever done.

I look out for 3 older ladies who are on their own just ringing little errands, keeping them well stocked in puzzle books and jigsaws, and being at the end of a phone when they fancy a chat. I would want someone to do this for my parents’ if they needed it and obviously me when the time comes.

We have a street WhatsApp group and try to help one another out when we can e.g. gifting boxes for moving, recommending tradespeople etc.

I use the OLIO app to give unwanted food and non food items to people who’d like to collect them from my local area.

I volunteered for contact the elderly for about four years. I donate to the local food bank. I should do more but I've got out of the habit after moving house and having quite a bit of my own shit to deal with. I do actually agree that paying council tax is not enough but it's all we can do sometimes.

I volunteer with my local Scout group, although I could do more organising with that. I donate to food banks. Thinking of helping out with the homeless shelter at church, I should get off my arse and actually do it.

School clothing bank
Food bank both the main big one and a separate village one that I ran during lockdown.

Guiding leader and Scouting Assistant
Parkrun RD (juniors)
Supporting in DCs' school including SEN interventions..
Not on PTA but one of those who will support at the fete/ events (not just making cakes)

The neighbours and us check up on each other. I also pay council tax

Shop as much as possible at independent stores. More so now wfh and one reason to want wfh to continue at least for the majority of the week in future.

Not loads. I am a family carer and that has dominated my time really. I visit some elderly neighbours. I give to the food bank etc. I donate some professional services to the local Scouts group. I sometimes sit on a boring town steering committee. I put my money in the local credit union. I shop local etc.

I have just signed up to teach refugees (for an org) but tbh that's not local as we don't have any! I'll have to travel in to the city to do that.

Volunteer with the ambulance service
Donate £ to food bank because I can never remember to buy stuff
Shopped for a shielder during lockdown
Would love to help local literacy programmes but can’t find any

My kids are grownup, my parents are dead and I only work part time so I do have more time than many.

I volunteer at my local homeless hostel. I also buy from local businesses.

Not a huge amount, I could do more, but I’m a bit lazy.

We don’t celebrate xmas so I volunteer at our nearest shelter, I’ve done that for quite a few years. It started as just xmas day but now we get enough volunteers and donations to open xmas eve through to new years day. We also have vital services on different day from professionals volunteering their time, dentist, vet, addiction service, clothing bundles etc.

I used to give free English lessons to people who speak Urdu as a first language but the scheme folded about 18 months ago.

I’m a qualified rugby coach so I was going to start doing coaching days with 9-11 year olds and 12-14 year olds at two schools on Fridays for a term (for free), but covid put an end to that. So I’m hopefully starting that in November. I coach PE teachers in the local area to improve how they are building rugby skills in their students.

I have a rugby tots franchise that I have just purchased, my first official day with the children is this Saturday.

Local food bank - volunteer and donate

Sunday school teacher

Age group manager for junior netball and football teams

Regular check ups on a couple of elderly neighbours - but I think that’s more because we’re friends than a specific community action.

I run a local youth group and manage a local youth centre that houses other groups (as a volunteer)

I cover for the cook at the local veterans breakfast club from time to time, support a local CIC café and donate to the food bank and uniform bank.

And pay council tax 😃

@MrsTerryPratchett

Geese are cunts.

My whole life is giving to the community. For decades of volunteering, and working in housing, and putting up young mums in my house etc. But I won't fed geese cunts.

Do you work?

I was a school governor and Chair of Governors for over 20 years using my professional expertise to help manage a large Primary School. I also used to go on once a week to hear children read and went on school journey with yr 6. It seemed a better use of my time than helping in a charity shop. Now I help look after my very aged mother, my ailing husband and my grandchildren who have mental health problems.