This week’s Wimbledon themed top 5 volunteering opportunities

Today marks the 1st of July, and what better way to serve up summer than our Wimbledon themed Volunteering Opportunities…

1.Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Where: E20 3AD
When: Last Saturday of each month
Category: Sports, Tennis, Disabilities
Commitment Level: Ongoing Commitment

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority are looking for sighted guides for Visually Impaired Tennis Players. The purpose of this role is to support their monthly visually impaired camps. This includes providing a sighted guide service to and from Leytonstone Tube Station. At the centre volunteers have the opportunity to support the lead coach on court by assisting with the games/drills that are being organised. For more information and to register your interest, click here.

2.Bikeworks
Where: Tower Hamlets, Newham, Kensington and Chelsea
When: Various (1x 4 hour session a month)
Category: Sports, Cycling, Disabilities
Commitment Level: Weekly Commitment

Bikeworks are looking for an inclusive cycling club and admin volunteer. Duties will include welcoming participants, checking that they are registered and assisting new participants with their initial assessment. Full training will be provided. For more information, see here.

3.Mencap Haringey
Where: Tottenham
When: Wednesday Afternoons
Category: Sports, Boxing, Disabilities
Commitment Level: Weekly Commitment

As part of the Group Initiatives Volunteering Experiences project, Mencap Haringey are looking for gym and boxing buddies. The role involves assisting local adults with learning disabilities/difficulties. Volunteers will receive disability awareness training and will learn how to plan activities and risk assess. Click here for more information.

4. Deen City Farm
Where: Merton
When: Tuesday 5th July 10am-1pm
Category: Farm, Gardening, Sustainability
Commitment Level: Ad hoc 

Deen City Farm are holding an outdoor gardening session and are looking for people to help them dig and prune. There will be a whole host of jobs for people of all ages and abilities. If you are interested in this opportunity, see here for more details.

5. London Youth Rowing
Where: London Regatta Centre, E16 2QT
When: Various
Category: Sports, Youth, Rowing, Coaching
Commitment Level: Ongoing Commitment

The London Regatta Centre is looking for enthusiastic rowing coaches who will be able to help young people access a new sport. As a charity, they work with young people who may not necessarily have been able to access the sport without their help. Most of the sessions run within school time, and they also run after-school sessions on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Volunteers will be asked to help regularly with the same group. Click here to apply.

This week’s top five volunteering opportunities

1.Lansbury Micro Museum

Where: Chrisp Street Market
When: At least once a fortnight on a Friday or Saturday from 11am-4pm
Category: Museum, History, Architecture
Commitment Level: Ongoing

In partnership with the V&A and Poplar HARCA, a new micro-museum is being opened in Poplar which is focused on celebrating the history and architectural importance of the Lansbury Estate. The exhibition will evolve each month to explore personal stories from residents in the area. They are looking for a team of dynamic micro-museum guides to help run the space. To find out more and to register your interest, email: volunteer.london@nationaltrust.org.uk or call: 0207 824 7134.

2.Cordwainers Grow

Where: Hackney
When: 14th May, 28th May, 4th June, 18th June, 2nd July from 14.00-16.00
Category: Gardening, Community, Food
Commitment Level: Ad Hoc

Cordwainers Grow are looking for community gardening volunteers who are interested in helping to set-up and maintain community gardening projects. They organise volunteer days at different gardens and sites around Hackney and invite volunteers to help with sowing seeds, harvesting herbs and setting up new growing spaces. If you are interested in this opportunity, click here.

3.Severndroog Castle Preservation Trust

Where: Castle Wood, Woolwich, SE18 3RT
When: Thursdays, Fridays or Sundays
Category: Heritage, History, Architecture
Commitment Level: Ongoing

The Severndroog Castle Preservation Trust are looking for a volunteer visitor assistant to give visitors an exciting experience. After years of campaigning for the preservation of the building and restoration work, the Castle is now in its second year of being open to the public and is seen as a local attraction and a place of learning. The role involves providing a friendly and informed welcome to the visitors. For more information and to register your interest, click here.

4.Victim Support

Where: 51 Philbeach Gardens, SW5 9EB
When: Various
Category: Support, Mentoring, Crime
Commitment Level: Ongoing

Victim Support are looking for volunteer community support workers to provide emotional and practical support to the victims of crime. Typical tasks involve contacting people who have been victims of crime, either over the phone, at the victim’s home or another mutually agreed location. If you are interested in finding out more, click here.

5.Brixton People’s Kitchen

Where: Myatts Fields Park, Brixton
When: 7th May, 14th May, 28th May and 11th June from 10.30 – 15.30
Category: Poverty, Food Banks, Food Waste
Commitment Level: Ad Hoc

The Brixton People’s Kitchen are looking for people to come help them cook good food for local people in an area without good access to fresh fruit and vegetables. You’d be helping to reduce food waste, educate young people about healthier eating and bringing the community closer together. For more information, see here.

Guardian Spotlight: Hannah and Mats

Since joining the Dot Dot Dot team as Guardians in June 2014, Mats and Hannah have together volunteered over 255 hours of their time. As well as volunteering on community projects, they also use their digital and media skills to volunteer for causes they feel passionate about.

We asked them to tell us about some of the volunteer projects they’ve been involved with over the last year…

Acton Homeless Concern

Mats: When we first started volunteering at Acton Homeless Concern Centre in 2014, I was startled over how many people who came to the centre to get food. I didn’t expect to see so many young people, and so many elderly people. Acton Homeless concern gives out clothing, food and offers vital health services.

Hannah: Having previously volunteered for a homeless charity in Bournemouth I already knew homelessness was a growing problem in the UK-  It’s extremely rewarding to know you are helping provide a vital service to some of the most vulnerable members of our society.

Women’s Pioneer Housing

Mats: We’ve also recently started volunteering with a housing scheme for elderly women through Women’s Pioneer Housing. We organise activities and events that are shaped around the tenants’ interests and needs, including gardening, film club and IT sessions.

Hannah: The fortnightly film club we organise with another guardian, Diana, has been a great success! Mats and I have a film projector so we use this to create a cinema feel. The residents get to suggest films they like to see, and we sometimes have a discussion after… and popcorn!

Mats: We organise regular IT drop in sessions too, where we provide guidance and help to set up printers and routers, or to tackle problems with their computer

What seems like a small problem for us can be a major issue for people who might not used to different technologies and devices. Some are surprisingly active on Facebook and other social media, though!

The Canvas Café

Mats: I’ve also just finished filming the journey of East London social enterprise, the Canvas café. I volunteered my spare time to capture the journey on film, from the day the founder Ruth got the keys, until the day it finally opened…

I met loads of volunteers helping to make this vision a reality – The café’s sister charity, Body Gossip, works with a range of charities such as the Girl Guides, CoppaFeel!, Tender Domestic Violence, and Mind.

Look for Rainbows
Hannah:I have also been working on a separate project, a blog I created called Look For Rainbows. I write articles relating to domestic abuse and talk about my own experience of abuse  – in hope to support and empower others.

Mats:  We’re glad we can use our skills and knowledge to do some good,  even if it’s just showing an elderly person how to use Skype so they can call their relatives. The smallest things can mean a whole new world for someone.

Get involved

• If you’re interested in volunteering and becoming a guardian with dot dot dot, apply here today
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