Is anybody willing to share what they do for voluntary work?

[florentina1]

Since losing my dog I have lots of time on my hand . I really would like to do something to get me out of the house. I help out at the food bank once a week, but there are no more shifts available.

I am mid 70s and fit, but I no longer drive, and my IT skills are only average. I have looked on our LA website for volunteering but nothing really grabbed me.

i hope that by finding out what others are doing it might inspire me.

Treasurer for the PTFA
Soup kitchen in the city centre
Breast feeding support (over the phone)
Collect and deliver donations to the local homeless charity
I also organise a lot of fundraising events within our community.

Room guiding at NT places. Our properties like their guides to interact with visitors and tell stories about the people who lived there. I also do talks about the properties. I think English Hertitage do the same and our local museums and libraries also use volunteers
I run a book group and am involved with the local telephone box book exchange.

My local council has a bit on their website about where you can volunteer.

Great thread. I’ve been wanting to do something too as i have lots of time but have had trouble finding something that grabbed me too. The museum work and beanstalk charity sound good.

Support families with children I have previously supported children. I also offer some time to my kids school to help fundraise etc.

I volunteer at the local riding for the disabled.

Get to spend about an hour, once a week, with some lovely ponies, delightful kids and great other volunteers.

Also as pp have suggested, parkrun every now and then.

I also used to volunteer with cinnamon trust to help walk dogs for people who can't. Great charity and helps people keep their pets at difficult times or just when walking gets too much.

I used to be a committee member of my daughter's pre-school I'm now a school governor.
It's really interesting, I've gained lots of knowledge. There are meetings in the evening and school visits during the day. I really enjoy it.
We're looking for someone like you at the moment.

I'm a trustee of a preschool and a volunteer at a breastfeeding group. I also occasionally do our bumps and babies group as well.

Please consider joining a charity board of trustees. It's not sociable and regular BUT I don't know any small charities not in need of board members currently - something related to former work or voluntary or your personal experience as a service user would all be relevant. Trustees are essential to ensuring charities are well run and right now they are running dry.

I used to be a school governor - it is a really useful role and schools are always looking for people to take it on.

Now I volunteer on the Cruse Bereavement Helpline which is very rewarding. That wouldn't get you out of the house though, as you do it from home. The training and support is excellent.

First aider with St John ambulance, we cover loads of events.

I volunteer one half day a week for a well known cat charity in the rehoming centre socialising cats.

I love it, I like the people, the work and most of all the cats. I feel valued and appreciated.

I help run visual impaired support group. Chatting to people and sorting out the coffee run.

I am volunteer radio presenter.

I run zoom/teams film group and quizes .

There are volunteer finding group in my area its called can which run events to go get idea s .

Baby group here has volunteers to make the tea and coffee and chat and hold the babies whilst mum goes to the loo. We all adore Auntie Sue who has been there for a generation or more. The kind of help we all needed. If you like babies there's an idea.

My daughter volunteers at a cat rescue. Cleaning pens, feeding. Then playing with baby kittens when she has done the boring jobs.

Ad hoc hours in a charity shop. I do the windows once a week and also shop floor merchandising. And anything else they need me to do! I'm the youngest volunteer in the shop (52!) So they love having me around to carry donations upstairs. 😁

I volunteer for a national museum - mainly front of house interacting with visitors (especially school groups and families) and supporting vulnerable volunteers, some supporting recruitment and training etc too. Really recommend - it is a large organisation so a variety of roles, flexible, excellent training that is useful in life (eg disability awareness, dementia friends, safeguarding).

Pre-covid, I also volunteered for Beanstalk and would recommend that too - although I think I got lucky with my school and especially the HoY in my last year there as she really worked with me.

I volunteered at a Day Hospice. They needed all sorts of volunteers.
Drivers, Gardners, Receptionists/Administrators etc . I really enjoyed it.

If you're near a hospital, you could approach them as well, lots of them are looking for volunteers in various roles.

I'm a volunteer with Samaritans and a Hand Holder in eye theatres during cataract surgery.

DH is the chairman of our Scout group and there are several volunteers behind the scenes. While people are needed as leaders, other roles are available as well.

I volunteered with the NCT for years, run the Nearly New Sales. 2-3x a year. We had grandparents there as well to help and also run the playgroup.

Friends moved from NCT to a baby charity, helping women coming out of violent relationships. They always need hands to sort out donations, help with fundraising and even do babysitting.

Parkrun, Rainbows and PTA for me.

As you've lost your dog, you might be interested in volunteering with Borrow my doggy? We used the site when my dad (due to illness) couldn't walk his dog every day but couldn't really afford a dog walker. We ended up meeting two lovely people who between them, walked the dog every day while dad recovered. Total Godsend!

Homestart

Plus the Christian Counselling service close to me employ Support Workers to greet clients and answer the phone.

School governor and PTA

Treasurer for Scouts and co-opted Audit & Risk Committee for a local school.

I'm an accountant so playing to my strengths!