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.

November’s Guardian Spotlight: Eileen

From tea dances for the elderly to London’s oldest pub theatre, this month we hear from Eileen, a guardian who has delivered over 70 hours of volunteering since August, who explains how Hands On London has helped her find and go great things in her spare time.

I’m not from London, and sometimes I feel like I’m still trying to figure out which way to look when crossing the street, let alone how to feel like I’m giving something meaningful back to this amazing city.

I’m not yet sure what types of organizations and causes I really want to devote myself to, which is why working with Hands on London has been such a help to me. They find volunteers for a wide range of charities that need varying commitment from their volunteers. Since becoming a guardian, this has allowed me to volunteer all over London on lots of different projects.

In the past few months I’ve volunteered with a disabilities charity, a pub theatre, a volunteer training school, a tea dance for the elderly, a women’s a cappella choir, and a homeless shelter. I’ve loved getting to learn new skills and explore London in ways I never would have imagined.

One organization I have really enjoyed working with is Livability, a charity that supports disabled adults. They are currently running The Home Design Appeal to renovate Kitchens and Bathrooms of disabled adults in London.

It’s pretty hard to imagine not being able to tasks like bathe yourself or make a cup of tea on your own, but for disabled people living in outdated homes, these indignities are part of everyday life.

Only 5% of homes in England are fully disability-friendly

Livability has been fundraising in hope to build moveable worktops and accessible wet rooms in homes of disabled Londoners to give the people they work with as much independence as possible.

• Find out more about Livability and how you can help them provide choice, independence and opportunity to disabled and disadvantaged people.
• Visit Hands On London to find interesting volunteering
• Subscribe to the Dot Dot Dot newsletter for updates from the team