Tell me about your hobbies/volunteering/community

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I’ve been feeling a bit isolated recently. I’m naturally quite social/extrovert but I currently work from home full time, my closest friends are miles away & my hobbies (running/gym etc.) are quite solitary. I’d really like to have a hobby/volunteering role that involves being with other people to feel like I’m part of a community, but I cannot for the life of me think what this would be! Any ideas to get me out of the house & meeting people?

Have a look into park run. I am not part of the volunteer community but I run it most weeks, and I can see the volunteers absolutely love what they do and have built such a lovely community. I see on Facebook they have socials etc together.

I'm a governor at a local school. You don't need an education background, business and community experience is valued and I've actually found it's added to my CV. Regular interactions with school staff and the other governors has helped to combat some of my WFH isolation.

How about Green Gym? They have groups all over the country exercising while making a difference to green spaces in area.

It depends on what you’d like to do and when you are available for volunteering e.g during the day, only evenings, weekends.

Allotments/parish council.
Sports club.
Age UK/Any charity - volunteer in shop, fundraising, etc.
Reading in schools
Community shops/libraries
Scouts/Guides/Brownies
Reading in schools
Cat/dog rescues
Where I live (small village) about 10 different organisations would jump at the chance for willing helpers.

Another parkrun one here. I’m part of the core group at our local one and we love new volunteers. You can volunteer as little or as often as you want and there are loads of different role. I’ve met some great people and even though I’m not running at the moment, still feel part of everything.

You could join a local running club?

I've always fancied women's institute 😂😂

What are your interests ? I'm a brownie and guide leader and also volunteer once a month doing conservation work with the local wildlife trust, but neither of those would suit you if you hate the outdoors for example !

Scouts are always desperate for people.

I run a weekly craft club at a local community centre. Do you have a skill you could share?

Good Gym or parkrun

Does your local theatre or music venue need volunteers?

Also recommend Parkrun for volunteering. There's the Saturday morning one, or some places have a junior one on Sundays. We have an amazingly friendly group at our junior one in particular.

Whereabout are you? Maybe people local to you would have the best suggestions.

I am a Beaver Leader. The Scouts always need more people to help.

I'm a volunteer 'Good Neighbour' . I visit someone in my community who is housebound and has no family. I visit him once a week, we have a cup of tea and a natter. He has had several strokes so talking is good therapy, my aim is to get home to walk as far as the local coffee shop.
The charity has coffee mornings for its volunteers.

Sports umpire - it's a voluntary role in my sport, but keeps me in touch and has a lovely community.

Guiding/Scouting. A family waiting to welcome you, right there. I’m glad I went back as an adult.

As others have said definitely parkrun. I have met lots of people at my local one. When we moved to our current house I was desperate to find things to do. I joined the local library which was a good source of information. I found out about a walking group which I joined and in time became a walk leader for it. Through them I found out about a local running club which I joined too.

I volunteer at DD’s school quite a bit too.

Go to your local library as they often have lists of all the local groups and activities.

I do a couple of hours a week at our local community larder. Then recently restarted playing an instrument I last played in 1996, at school, and joined a little casual friendly band which is lovely one evening a week.

In the past I did nearly 30 years in St John ambulance.

Thanks so much everyone. I’ll get researching.

I am joining a monthly hike for men and women together. It is a peer support one that opened up post pandemic. I did not hear about it last year but it felt too early to be joining anything. It is just for two hours on a Sunday morning.

Depending on what you enjoy, could be running or swimming, plenty of people who attend the pool or go for a run at the same time know each other and might become good acquaintances! Maybe join local classes like dancing or pottery, or something art related?

My hobbies don't require me being around people, but I very well might be if I want to. I do photography and have attended courses, so I know some people from there and we occasionally have photography field trips or just share experiences and tips about camera settings or some Photoworks tricks, etc. My mom attends dance classes and sometimes she might go to the bar or attend shows with people from said classes