Volunteer in 2019
Have you ever fancied the idea of volunteering in your community – but you don’t know where to start?
It’s not always easy. How do you find out what voluntary projects are on your doorstep? How do you get in touch with them? What kind of skills do you need to have in order to make a valuable contribution?
Come to think of it, what actually constitutes a ‘valuable contribution’? Is it good enough to turn up at an event or join a group and ‘just’ help out making brews?
The answer is, most definitely, YES!
For anybody considering the idea of volunteering in their community – in any capacity – it’s worth talking to Leigh Neighbours, the National Lottery funded community project based in Leigh West.
For more than five years, we’ve been delivering activities and events across our project area, ranging from family crafts to hanging basket workshops. We’ve also provided support through our Resident’s Fund to community organisations including schools and charities, enabling them to deliver projects, activities and events to local people on our behalf.
We’re always delighted and grateful to see local people rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in at our events – and we’re proud to have played a role in helping to make that happen.
It’s often the same faces who come along to our events… come rain or shine, they can always be relied upon to turn up. And that’s one reason why we’re now calling on other local residents to do their bit, too!
We recognise how much of an impact volunteers can make in their neighbourhood – improving the local environment, bringing residents closer together and raising the aspirations of our young people.
We also know from experience that volunteering gives people a chance to make new friends, learn new skills, give something back and develop a different perspective. It’s a way of engaging with our neighbours one to one as equals, and gives us a chance to recognise that, whilst we’re all very different from one another, we also share so much more in common.
It’s also very good for you! People who regularly volunteer often refer to their sense of pride, personal fulfilment and general wellbeing.
Get in touch with Leigh Neighbours to find out more about volunteering in your community! Email volunteer@lnpb.org.uk
