Volunteering for 8 year old.

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My 8 year old DD is very interested in volunteering (long story behind this involving her grandparents who do not live in UK) in London on weekends (preferably 2 weekends a month but we can be flexible). I had a look online and it appears that most places only accept teenagers which is understandable. However, I am willing to volunteer with her and would therefore be around throughout and be responsible for her. We are open to all and any charities although, she is very keen on reading or playing music for the elderly and/or ill children (we tried Great Ormond as she thought she could read, paint, entertain, play etc with the children but they don't take under 18's). All food banks seem to operate during the week and during school times so we cannot do those either.
Any other ideas where we could try?

St Johns ambulance have volunteering for children. They meet once a week during term time and learn lots of great skills. When they are a bit older they can help out at events doing first aid.

http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/young-people.aspx

@BananaBooBoo

thank you. She is the most sensitive, caring and biggest worrier about things that you'd generally not expect an 8 year old to be worried about, out of my 4 DC (one is a SS). The others are focused on their own little lives but she surprises me everyday with what she says about other people (in a naive but caring manner) . We have a homeless person (Ex military which we found out thanks to her questioning him) outside our local Sainsbury's that she strongly believes is her friend and gives a part of her pocket money to every time we see him). Am not sure where she gets it from (it's certainly not our parenting, although we believe in helping those in need). I am happy to support her caring nature and hope she remains this way.

@WhenTheDragonsCame thank you I will have a look at that too.

MHA Live at Home Scheme. (Methodist Homes for the Aged) has volunteers who visit folk in their homes and befriend them - it would have to be you volunteering, but she could go with you, maybe make cakes and maybe play her instrument occasionally.

Another befriending the elderly scheme

Befriending deaf / blind folk

There are actually loads of different schemes if befriending is your thing, (just do a search) but obviously it would need to be you that volunteered, and then you'd have to ask the person you were matched with, if they would mind your dd joining you.

There are lots of tiny organisations / locally set up charities that take food out to the street homeless. Whereas it wouldn't be appropriate for her to go out regularly to serve the food, there is a lot of preparation she might be able to commit to helping with.

There's also a charity that links you with a person who lives fairly close to you, and you commit to making an extra portion of whatever you are cooking anyway, and take it round for them (not every day). I can't remember what they are called though - they are 'Meal Makers' in Scotland, but I can't find a group in London, though I'm sure they exist.
There's another one that do monthly (or weekly) 'tea and cake' for about 3 or 4 lonely people in the neighbourhood.

For this age you could:
Walk dogs/pet cats at a shelter (with an adult).
Fill shoeboxes or collect things for homeless or food bank charities.
Help with some environmental cleanup/fixing things in parks etc. But rarely for children this young.
Write to other children in hospital.

How about cinnamon.org.uk/volunteers/, you could see if anyone needs help dog walking.

You could organise a local litter pick via a local Facebook page.

If you're on Facebook , try looking up Postcards of Kindness. This is an online movement to connect nursing homes wanting postcards with those willing to send them. The aim is to prompt memories and conversation in the residents of these homes, and also to give them the joy of receiving post. You write to "the residents" as opposed to an individual, and in general write in the expectation of not getting anything back, but lots of photos are shown on Facebook of the results they are bringing. A really easy one to do at home in spare moments.

Thank you all, will look it to these further suggestions. Unfortunately, I received a response from Age UK and volunteers must be 18 and above so that is out. Not on Facebook but willing to join to have a look and make it happen.

Have contacted a few local care homes and Battersea Dogs and Cats home. Awaiting to hear from them. Many thanks.

Why don’t you contact a local care home directly and ask if you can befriend a resident? It would have to be done by yourself, no organisation would take on an 8 year old without a adult career/supervisor due to safeguarding legislation. I work with a lot of volunteers and although we do take over 14s there is a mountain of paperwork to go through before we can accept them, and then they have to be highly supervised by DBS checked adults.

But I would imagine most care homes would accept you (with your DD) as visitors.