This week’s top five volunteering opportunities

1.Sense Summer Holiday Club
Where: Island Gardens
When: 1st – 19th August
Category: Disabilities, Young People, Camp
Commitment Level: High level of commitment

This August, Sense will be providing School holiday clubs for children and young people with disabilities and complex medical needs in Tower Hamlets. They are looking for keen and enthusiastic volunteers to help young people with disabilities and complex needs to take part in and access a variety of activities in the Summer Holidays Club. They are looking for volunteers who are able to offer from 1 to 3 weeks during the scheme period, plus 2 days of their time for induction training in July. To get involved or find out more contact Nicola Venus-Balgobin – nicola.venus-balgobin@sense.org.uk

2.Obstacle Marshal
Where: Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ
When: 7^th August
Category: Marshal, Race, Lifeboats
Commitment Level: Ad Hoc

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution are looking for obstacle Marshals to help at their Splash Fest fundraising event. You will be based at one of the 5 obstacles and will be a friendly face to point them in the direction of their next activity and provide advice to help them along the way. To register your interest and find out more, click here.

3.Greenwich Inclusion Project
Where: Thamesmead
When: Various
Category:
Commitment Level: High level of commitment

Greenwich Inclusion Project recognises that hostility is linked to wider structural and societal issues. This project will focus on tackling this, as well as providing a safe and understanding place for people to gain support. They are looking for Peace Champion volunteers to assist them in forming a support network in Thamesmead, challenging hate incidents and hate crime. You will have the chance to learn and develop experience on supporting clients, policy development, action research, community engagement and project management. For more information and to register your interest, contact Sarah Fellepa on sarah.fellepa@peabody.org.uk

4.Swing East Volunteers
Where: Chrisp Street
When:  Sunday 10^th July
Category: Community, Market, Activities
Commitment Level: Ad Hoc

On Sunday 10^th July, Chrisp Street Market are holding a Swing East Festival which will involve market stalls, food and dancing. They are looking for friendly and energetic volunteers to support in a wide variety of activities throughout the day. For more information, and to register click here.

5.Bee Collective
Where: 25 Eccleston Place
When:  Every Tuesday from 18.30-20.00
Category: Honey, Education, Conservation
Commitment Level: Ad Hoc

Learn how to extract raw honey every Tuesday evening throughout the summer. Bee Collective provides a honey extraction service to London’s beekeepers. Bee Collective are an interesting social enterprise and they are looking for anyone with an interest in bees, beekeeping, nature, gardening, conservation or honey. For more information and to sign up, click here.

Top 5 London Volunteering Opportunities

There’s a great opportunity this week to get up close and personal with some hardworking bees and learn more about these vital links in our food chain. If our black and yellow friends aren’t your thing, you can clean up London towpaths or help kick off the ITV Text Santa appeal with a bang. Get involved, learn something new and happy volunteering!

Don’t forget; if you have a volunteering opportunity you’d like us to share please do email us on hello@dotdotdotproperty.com.

Work with the The Song Collectors Collective
Where: Various
When: Ongoing
The Song Collectors Collective celebrates the people who conserve rare oral culture within their communities in Britain, Ireland and beyond. It aims to empower a new generation of collectors while inspiring the ongoing exploration of and creativity within these communities.

One of the core aims of the SCC is to record more than just songs, but stories, family histories, yarns, knowledge, lore and experiences of social change. The recordings will then be edited, indexed and freely shared on the Song Collectors website and social media sites with unrestricted access for both the participants and others.

If anyone would like to get involved with the SCC, please email songcollectorscollective@gmail.com.

Get sticky with the Bee Collective
Where: The Annexe, 25 Eccleston Place, London, SW1W 9NF
When: Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Bee Collective is a dedicated social enterprise that works specifically with and for London beekeepers. See how they get honey from the hive to the table, and get involved in extraction and bottling. No equipment or experience necessary – just come along and join in the buzz.

Find out more and get in touch via their website.

Volunteer with the Towpath Taskforce
Where: east London – location to be confirmed
When: 18th November, 10am – 12.30pm or 1.30pm – 4pm. Come for the morning or afternoon or bring a packed lunch and stay all day!
Towpath Taskforce groups are for like-minded volunteers who want to get involved, get their hands dirty and make a difference to their local canal or river. It’s ideal for people who want to volunteer with the Canal & River Trust but need the flexibility to fit that volunteering around their busy lifestyle. This way you can come along when you’re free, whether that’s once a month or more regularly.

Find out more information and contact details here.

Volunteer with the Albert Kennedy Trust
Where: 37 Cremer St, London E2 8HD
When: recruitment day – Saturday 25th October 1:30pm 4:30pm
The Albert Kennedy Trust supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans homeless young people in crisis. They’re looking for a new cohort of volunteers, from mentors to graphic designers to fundraisers.

Text Santa Helper
Where: Stratford Train Station, Stratford, E15
When: between 7am and 7pm on 28th November, 12th December and 19th December
Text Santa, ITV’s charity fundraising appeal is back in 2014 and it’s going to be bigger than ever. The show will be hosted by stars such as Ant and Dec, Alesha Dixon and Paddy McGuinness as well as featuring a number of exciting celebrity appearances.

Text Santa will be taking over stations across London for three days this Christmas. They need volunteers who can give a couple of hours or more to help kick off the appeal with a bang! Contact Lorna Copland on textsanta@guidedogs.org.uk to sign up.