Westminster Community Volunteering Opportunities
Here you’ll find a wish list from charities in Westminster looking for volunteers and donations to support the lockdown emergency operations to help the most affected by the pandemic.
Volunteering in the community is still permitted as essential to deliver vital services. Alternatively you can volunteer remotely and help charities run events to bring a festive cheer to the most vulnerable and isolated people in the community. Get involved, make a difference and enjoy festive volunteering.
OLDER PEOPLE
Help Deliver Christmas Meals
Every year more than 400 prepared Christmas meals are delivered to vulnerable older residents in Westminster. This massive operation would not be possible without the support of dedicated volunteers who return year after year to support the Christmas Meals Project. Can you spare some time to support this initiative? 250 volunteers are needed to make the Christmas Meals Project happen this year.
Location: In the community
Commitment: 2 hours on a one-off basis or thoughtought the week
Dates: Monday 21 - Thursday 24 December 2020
Volunteers: Individuals / teams
Contact: Time & Talents
Make & Donate
This centre offers a range of services to help older people affected by dementia to remain as independent as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic means the centre has remained closed for several months. Staff are planning to deliver Christmas gifts to their service users to cheer them up as many have not ventured outside since March
Can you support by donating goodies for gift bags for the older people? Anything from homemade Christmas decorations and handmade cards to biscuits, mince pies and hand warmers would be welcome.
Location: Remotely
Commitment: One off
Dates: November to 11 December 2020
Volunteers: Individually or in teams
Contact: Time & Talents
Create a Christmas Greetings Booklet
The befriending project supports older people to stay connected through telephone volunteers so that project members can maintain a vital link with the outside world.
With all face to face visits halted for the time being, the project is looking for creative ways to bring Christmas cheer to its older people and their volunteers, and want to put together a Christmas greetings booklet with messages, photos, anecdotes and stories about befriending experiences to celebrate this great support service in the community.
Do you have the creative skills to design a booklet? Can you help collect stories from volunteers and service users and populate the booklet with messages? We will help organise a calendar for both parties and gather the contents too
Location: Remotely
Commitment: One off
Dates: November - 14 December 2020
Volunteers: 1 - 5
Contact: Time & Talents
Make a Christmas Card for Dementia Centre
The dementia centre provides a range of services to help people affected by dementia regain skills, reduce confusion and encourage social interaction.
Can you and your team create handmade Christmas cards, fill them with lovely messages to help put a smile on service users’ faces, because the centre has been closed for far too long and they miss their usual social interaction.
Location: Remotely
Date: November - 10 December
Volunteers: 1-6
Contact: Time & Talents
HOMELESSNESS
Cook a Christmas Meal
This large women’s hostel helps women to end their homelessness and live their lives to the full. Each year the charity hosts a Christmas meal, offering food, companionship and festive cheer. This year, time slots will be allocated for service users to collect their Christmas meal.
Can you and your team help prepare and serve the Christmas meal? You would be responsible for creating the festive menu, preparing and serving meals.
Location: at the Project
Date: W/C 21 December 2020
Volunteers: 2-6
Contact: Time & Talents
Serve food to the Homeless
This homeless centre provides relief and advice and offers free food, showers, washing facilities, housing referrals and other practical support in a welcoming and friendly environment
Can you help the centre volunteering a few mornings to serve light snacks and drinks to its homeless guests? The environment is COVID-19 secure and PPE will be provided.
Location: At the project
Commitment: 9.30am - 1.00pm, one day a week for a minimum of three months
Dates: From November 2020
Volunteers: 1-3
Contact: Time & Talents
BME / REFUGEES
Deliver hot meals in NW1
This community-led voluntary organisation provides a programme of activities to support local residents with welfare rights, racial harassment, health and legal issues. It also offers day care services for older people and those who are housebound.
The charity delivers hot meals to local vulnerable residents and families who might be struggling, shielding, isolating or need a helping hand. Can you spare a few hours once a week to help deliver hot meals by foot in NW1 area?
Location: In the Community
Commitment: Once a week - One off
Date: Every Tuesday 15:00 - 19:00
Volunteers: 1-3
Contact: Time & Talents
Support the Toy Drop Appeal
This BAME charity empowers women and young people in crisis and aims to put them in charge of their lives and livelihood. Every year the charity runs a Christmas present appeal to support women and their families who might otherwise struggle to buy Christmas presents for their children.
Can you support this charity with donations of new toys and gifts that are suitable for children and teenagers? Teddy bears, bath toys, puzzles, crayons, stationery, educational games, books are all welcome.
Location: Remotely
Dates: November to 16 December
Volunteers: Individually or in teams
Contact: Time & Talents
