Volunteering opportunities
Find out how you can support and volunteer in roles that can help make a difference across Westminster.
Westminster Connects’ volunteering service helps to connect individuals and organisations that want to help with those who need support. Below you will find a list of volunteering opportunities currently looking for support.
Saucony LDN 10k Run - Sunday 14 July
Westminster Connects were invited for the first time by Saucony LDN 10K to provide volunteers for various roles. The event was a summer celebration of running, featuring entertainment and iconic landmarks, passing through Big Ben, the London Eye, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, making it one of the most memorable sporting events and a fantastic volunteering opportunity.
Westminster Connects volunteers were excited to be part of a larger group of volunteers, combined with Newham Council and Front Runners Group, at the Water Aid station 2, situated close to Westminster Abbey. It was a warm, sunny day and a great atmosphere with all the volunteers and runners combined. The volunteers had such fun from setting up, to handing out water cups to Elite runners and thousands of runners as they passed by.
“Yesterday, I participated and volunteered in the 10k run in London. It was an inspiring event that brought people together for a noble cause, highlighting the importance of community service, in strengthening social bonds and supporting health initiatives. Participating in such events foster a spirt of cooperation and social responsibility”. Mohammed Al Meri, Westminster Connects Volunteer.
“It was a great experience, very humbled to see the participants (all ages and abilities) to undertake this run and felt great to have helped them in a very small way to get to the Finish Line - some participants even took the time to thank us and called us ' Angels'! And it was another opportunity to meet and work with familiar faces and also make new friends”. Lisa Tung, Westminster Connects Volunteer.
SouthWest Fest - Saturday 6 July, St Georges Square, Pimlico
Westminster Connects partnered with Southwest Festival and provided 16 volunteers to support the annual festival day and patchwork community project. On the day of the festival, volunteers were out in action, supporting the preparation and set-up and take down of stalls, providing information, engaging with visitors and carried out surveys. The volunteers met new SW Festival volunteers, supporting activities in teams and enjoyed the atmosphere together. At the festival, Westminster Connects promoted our programme with the help of our volunteers. Thanks to Hari, John and Huseyin for engaging with visitors and recruiting new volunteers.
“SW Festival's aim is to inspire and engage with local audiences and partners, musicians’ artists and communities. Westminster Connects is a great service that introduces organisations to brilliant people. Our volunteers at SouthWestFest Festival Day in St George's Square were friendly, proactive and helped us run a successful event”. South West Fest Event Organiser.
“I always enjoy South West Festival, important for bringing the community together. Lovely to meet other Westminster Connects volunteers and to encourage others to join such worthy projects”. Susan Moore, Westminster Connects Volunteer.
CLCHT Volunteer to Career
Volunteer to career is our exciting programme which will see us support volunteers to explore a career in the NHS. We’ll recruit people into our set voluntary roles which will give an idea of what a career could like in Nursing or Occupational Therapy, and then support with employability skills to get volunteers into employment, or onto an education pathway.
The roles available are:
- Ward Befrienders
- Community Befrienders
The Screen Community has multiple volunteering opportunities
The Screen Film Community is a Westminster based charity that engages with diverse and at risk young people and we teach industry standard skills in Film & TV Production and Games Design & Coding. Our USP is that we bring in industry professionals to teach.
The roles available are:
- Workshop Volunteers
- Fundraiser/Philanthropist Finder
Sewing Club volunteers needed at Victoria Library!
Are you passionate about sewing? Would you like to help run sewing classes within our community hub? Join us at Victoria Library to help deliver a 2 hour sewing session once a week.
Sign up here to find out more!
Community Cook Off
Residents of South Westminster: join our fun Community Cook Off, where different teams compete to cook the most delicious meal from our pantry of ingredients! Whether you're cooking or watching, there's something for everyone!
For more details or to compete, please get in touch through the below channels.
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @communitycookoff
- Website: www.communitycookoff.org
The Abbey Centre has multiple volunteering opportunities!
To promote the health and wellbeing of local people is the heart of this project. We do this by hosting a broad range of community activities that support some of our communities most vulnerable residents. We help them access local services that are delivered by the Abbey Centre and partners.
The volunteer positions available are:
- Receptionist/Admin - Provide administrative support to Customer Liaison and Reception Officers.
- Pantry Logistics Support - Help sort the deliveries and set up the Pantry Shop.
- Hot Meals Support - Assist in running the weekly Hot Meals on Wednesday and Fridays from 4pm to 8:30pm.
Numeracy Champions Volunteers needed!
Number Champions is a charity supporting primary school children across London in numeracy. We are looking for volunteers to work one-to-one with 6 and 7-year olds to help them gain confidence and skills in maths. We will train you, and teachers volunteering with us will then give you advice and support when you need it.
The key requirements are interpersonal skills and a passion to help children achieve their potential. At this age, the maths required is simple arithmetic - if you can check your bill at a café you have the knowledge you need.
Volunteer as a Mentor with The Kids Network!
The Kids Network supports children at a crucial time in their lives, in the lead up to and often during the transition from primary into secondary school. We do this by providing them with a volunteer mentor, a local hero from their London community.
You will help to build confidence, resilience and help your mentee to manage feelings through a series of weekly fun experiences and activities.
Workshop Facilitators needed for children’s Climate Action Project
Climate Ed is an educational charity which teaches children about climate change. We operate across London and have worked with many schools delivering assemblies and workshops about all aspects of climate change.
As a volunteer you will go to a primary school in London to deliver a workshop programme about climate change/carbon footprints and inspire the children to start taking action on climate change.
The Access Project needs online tutors to support Westminster based GCSE Students
The Access Project supports pupils from under-resourced backgrounds to access top universities. We are looking for undergraduates, postgraduates, staff, and alumni who would be able to tutor a young person aged 14-16, online, one hour a week in term-time Autumn 2024- Summer 2025 to support them with their academic studies.
Become a Volunteer Co-ordinator with Children's Book Project
The Children’s Book Project is a grassroots charity, powered by volunteers at every stage of what we do. At our Book HQ on Golborne Road in W10 we would love you to join us as a Volunteer Co-ordinator, helping to oversee our regular book sorting events which take place during term time.
We are looking for Volunteer Co-ordinators to help us run our sessions starting in September during School Term time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm (you can volunteer just 1 day a week).
Become a Westminster Climate Champion!
The Paddington Development Trust is working with Westminster City Council to build up local people’s knowledge, confidence and connections to their communities through the Climate Champions. They are a group of local people who will be creating and working on projects in North Paddington to make the area more resistant to climate change related weather conditions, cleaner, greener, and healthier. Through their ability to empower others and share knowledge, they’ll also be creating a community that is aware of the risks facing them, and able to create the change they need to see.
Empower older people to Be Active!
Be Active supports older people to become more mobile and independent in their community. Volunteers work one-to-one for up to nine weekly sessions with people 60+ who have been prescribed physiotherapy exercises and physical activity goals. Assisting them in their exercises helps rebuild their confidence and ability to move around their home and communities.
Volunteer Bandstand Assistants needed at 2024 Regent's Park Music Festival
The concert programme will begin in mid-June and end in mid-September. There will be concerts on the main Bandstand every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday with two sessions, from 12:00 to 14.00 and 15.00 to 17.00. There will also be concerts on Saturdays from 2:00 to 4:00 on the Broadwalk Bandstand across from the Broadwalk Cafe.
Bandstand Assistants need to arrive a minimum of 30 minutes before concerts begin and leave up to 30 minutes after the end of the concerts. They need to be contactable by mobile phone.
Introduction to Westminster Connects Session
We are inviting Westminster Connects volunteers to attend a Volunteer Introduction Session at City Hall. These sessions will provide volunteers with information about our Westminster Connects volunteering service, guidelines, expectations and a chance to meet other Westminster Connects volunteers.
The sessions are planned to be informative, fun and to provide you with a better understanding of what it means to be a Westminster Connects volunteer, what is expected from you and what you can expect from us.
Westminster Connects Walking Companions
Westminster Connects is keen to help residents get back to doing the things they love. Our Walking Companionship service aims to help residents that were isolated during the Covid-19 lock down restrictions or due to other personal issues. As a volunteer you will be matched with a resident in your neighbourhood to take them outside for a walk once or twice a week, depending on your availability. We are especially looking for more volunteers that live in or are willing to travel to W9, SW1V and the W2 area.
Westminster Connects Gardening Volunteering
Westminster Connects have been running a gardening service to help support elderly/vulnerable residents in Westminster that need help to maintain, clean and tidy up their garden upkeep. As a volunteer you can support with basic gardening tasks i.e. weeding, clearing and tidying up, pruning, replanting and watering.
Volunteer Shoppers needed to help Vulnerable Residents
Westminster Connects has been running a shopping service since January 2021 to help support vulnerable and elderly Westminster residents who cannot do their own shopping. After you have registered by completing this digital form we will aim to match you with a vulnerable resident in your neighbourhood (or further if you are willing to travel).
We are especially looking for more volunteers that live in or are willing to travel to Pimlico (SW1) and near the Oxford Street area (W1).
Published: 18 August 2023
Last updated: 16 July 2024