Do you volunteer? If so, what and why?

[GlowFlo]

Just being nosy really and looking to volunteer a bit more!
Would love to be inspired by Mumsnetters.

Yes. Half an hour a week. I am a telephone friend to the lovely Christine who's 84 and lonely as she doesn't see people from one day to the next. Part of the AgeUK telephone friend scheme.

She gets a lot out of it and really looks forward to our chats

I'm a reader for my local talking newspaper.

The local papers are recorded and sent out on memory sticks to any partially sighted people who want them.

Yes, volunteer two afternoons per week in a charity shop, am a parish councillor and a trustee of a local charity.
why? To keep my mind active, meet people and mainly because I have led a very privileged life and for me it’s important to recognise that and give something back to the community.

When my kids were at school I volunteered weekly in the second hand uniform shop (only open a few hours a week), organised the themed school discos.
I cooked for my son's rugby team. Every Sunday it was bacon sandwiches and tea/coffee for the parents and if a match cooking for 40 kids (not in my own I hasten to add)!
I don't volunteer currently, but we have a local children's theatre who are always looking so may consider it.

Scout Treasurer. Co-opted member of a school’s Audit and Risk Committee.

Why? Because I have in demand skills (accountant) and was asked nicely. Do I wish sometimes I didn’t? Yes, but frankly I know full well that these things suffer if people don’t volunteer. And I like it when other nice things that need volunteers happen!

I volunteer at Junior park run on a Sunday morning. My son done it as part of his DOE award, they were so welcoming that I stayed with it

I'm volunteering at an after-school club as a helper. Mainly for selfish reasons - I want to improve my CV and use the company as a reference when I change jobs in the future. It's easy work experience for me.

I volunteer with sex offenders to help them with accountability and practical support.

I volunteer with a cat rescue. I don’t work and they always need people to feed, clean and medicate the cats while they are waiting to be adopted.

I'm a Samaritan, it's honestly the best thing I've ever done.

I'm a 'Good Neighbour' which means I visit a person in my community who is housebound. I go once or twice a week for about an hour, cup of tea and a natter.
Takes very little time from me and makes a huge difference to him. We've become quite good friends, whinge about the weather, the football, recommend TV programmes, go out for a walk if he is feeling up to it.

I'm the Treasurer of the PTA, frankly because someone had to do it, and as an accountant it's not terribly taxing. But it's a tiny committee, so we have to get stuck into all sorts.

I do it because if the PTA didn't exist, school funding would be even worse.

Guide leader since I was 18.
On the committee for kids film club.

I volunteer at Parkrun,not every week but regularly. I also volunteer for a local race organiser 2 or 3 times a year. I'm a runner and I know events can't happen without marshals and other volunteers so I want to do my bit to make sure they can happen. Also, I enjoy it!

Yes, I am a member of a committee.

I am a volunteer reader at my child's school. I've volunteered in the classroom previously too.

I uses to volunteer as a dog walker for a national dog charity. I did it for a couple of years before I had to give it up for a number of reasons. I did it because I love dogs 🐕

I'm a volunteer and trustee with an organisation supporting asylum seekers.

I needed a purpose in retirement, and I've learned a vast amount about a new area of need, and made a difference for a lot of people, sometimes just by listening, sometimes by finding them the practical help that they need.

It's also made me appreciate how fortunate I am.

I volunteer and run a small community group called Free Cakes for Kids. It's nationwide and there are loads of groups around the UK but I run the one local to me. We are a group of volunteer bakers who bake birthday cakes for children who otherwise wouldn't get one due to a range of family circumstances like illness, disability, poverty etc. I get referrals for cakes from social services, local charities, schools and children's groups. Such a rewarding thing to do and I love baking so it's a win win for me!

I'm a charity trustee. I had very relevant skills that I knew could help the charity and it feels good to be able to help in that way. I also feel more a part of the local community and feel like I get as least as much from the experience as I give.

I have a disability so I can't do active hobbies and this fits around my job and enables me to feel like I have something quite interesting outside of work and family

Oh I love the sound of this! My charity takes referrals for grants for people in very difficult circumstances and having a look there is a local group so I shall get in touch with them as I think it would be really nice to refer on for some of the families we support.

What a fantastic way to put to use a love of baking

My mum has just retired and she’s got interviews and/or training sessions to volunteer:

• citizens advice
• the local library (all volunteer run)
• the city farm

My dad is retiring soon too and he’s looking at volunteering adhoc for the local group who look after the green spaces near them.

I did breastfeeding peer support volunteering.

I don't any more as my child is disabled and it doesn't meet my needs any more but I loved it.

I breastfed my own child, to me it really helped me create a bond with my child in a unique way, and I really believe in the benefits of breastfeeding and wanted to support new mums who also wanted to breastfeed but we're having issues postpartum.

The training was amazing and I got a qualification from it, and I'd love to go on to be a paid infant feeding support worker if the time ever allows but sadly it requires more flexibility than I've got right now.

It was very rewarding, and I got to see a lot of babies grow and thrive on breastfeeding.

My friend volunteers for a charity that feeds people every night. The volunteer roles include cooking roughly 200 portions of a meal, asking for donations of food at a supermarket, serving the food and hot drinks (7 nights a week!) and that’s before the board of trustees.

It sounds amazing. Not sure my kitchen could handle cooking that much food.

I have volunteered most of my life for different groups. First was a walking club which I joined at 17 and 3 years later joined the committee as an activity organiser. I have helped run local and national cycling clubs, have been a Rainbows, Beavers and Guide Leader (not all at once, but when my DC were members and I continued after they left). I was Treasurer for a Brass Band for several years when DS was a member. I helped run a local Childminder's group when I was a Childminder. I did all these roles because either my DC or myself were involved in the organisations and they needed volunteers and I wanted to see them continue.
I am now retired and live alone.
I volunteer at my local CRUK shop several times a week.
I do this because I have lost almost all my family to cancer. Also I enjoy the company. I have made some good friends there.
It gives my week structure and gets me out of the house as I do get lonely. My DC have busy lives and I see them only occasionally.