• Norwood Forum

Volunteering opportunities this week

Lambeth publish local volunteering opportunities on  a weekly basis. Here's this week's opportunities in our local area:

Care Home Penpals

The lockdown has been difficult for everyone, but even more so for those who have been shielding and those who live in care homes, who haven’t been able to see their families or friends for months and have not been able to get out of their accommodation.

Team Lambeth, working with two local care homes, would want to be able to reach out to care home residents through letters, creating new local friendships and ensuring that we do our bit to alleviate loneliness. We are looking for over 10 volunteers. We will be hosting a webinar so you can ask the care home managers any questions about the residents and to learn more about those who you will be writing to. To volunteer as a penpal, please sign up here.

South London Refugee Association

South London Refugee Association provide advice and support for vulnerable migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers. Volunteers support the crisis food bank, delivering parcels of food and other essentials to individuals and families in need. Deliveries can be made by car or by bicycle. They are looking for 10 volunteers and they would be expected to volunteer from thirty minutes a week to one hour a day depending on the time the volunteer can give. The Foodbank is based at Streatham Hill and deliveries are made to homes across Lambeth. To volunteer, please sign up here.

Streets Kitchen

Streets Kitchen is organised and run by volunteers, many of whom have experienced homelessness first-hand with a mantra of Solidarity Not Charity to ensure support is offered where and when it is needed. Streets Kitchen are providing not only hot meals and essential supplies but establishing a sense of community within the local community, around their tables and in their solidarity centres. Streets Kitchen aims to create one central resource to provide up-to-date, helpful information to anyone who is hungry and in an accessible way.

In Lambeth, we are working out of the Clapham South Belvedere Hotel kitchen to provide over 100 people food and solidarity. We are looking for volunteers to come and help cook the food as well as deliver it via bike or car to other locations in the borough. You do not need to have any experience in a profession kitchen, just a willingness to learn. To Give A Shift please email them at getinvolved@streetskitchen.org

If you are a driver, with access to a vehicle please email them at the same address, getinvolved@streetskitchen.org and let them know you are willing to help and they can get you added to the drivers WhatsApp group.

Age UK- Befriending Calls

Age UK Lambeth are an independent local charity working in the community to support older people, their families and carers. COVID-19 has unfortunately affected the older community particularly, leaving many feeling sad and alone. Therefore, Age UK Lambeth are looking for over 20 volunteers to enable friendly 30 minute phone calls to some of Lambeth’s most isolated residents, helping them feel connected, reducing levels of anxiety and bringing joy to them and to you as a volunteer. 

They would welcome volunteers from any place in the borough, but particularly from those who live in the following postcodes: SE1, SE2, SE21, SE24, SE27, SE11 and SE16. In order to assist with this, please sign up to one of the training webinars below:

Foodbank collection

Local foodbanks require assistance with collections of food from supermarkets and other collection points.

Norwood, Brixton and Waterloo foodbanks

Lambeth food banks currently need volunteer drivers to help with deliveries Monday - Friday/mid week, mostly between 11am - 3pm. You must have your own car or van with full Mot and insurance, clean driving licence and able to commit to 2/3 hours at least once a week for the next 6 weeks. They are based out of their warehouse at SW2 3BH. Please sign up here.