Activity supporters
We have activity centres at Leatherhead in Surrey, Seaford in East Sussex, and Tadley in Hampshire. These provide a base for supporting people to participate in a wide range of activities, with opportunity for learning and leisure. Activities include sensory, creative, therapeutic, physical, recreational, communication, education and life skills. Volunteers to support our staff in running these activities are always welcome.
Community escorts
Many of the people we support go out into their local community to access shops, leisure activities and college courses. Our staff support most of these activities but volunteers can provide an extra pair of hands.
Cookery assistants
We have new opportunities for cookery volunteers at several of our services. Many people we support have basic cookery skills but they need a lot of encouragement for these skills to develop. Volunteers can help individuals as part of their skill journey with choosing food, shopping and then cooking their own meals, giving a great sense of achievement.
Drivers
We have a range of transport at our services, from minibuses to people carriers and small adapted cars. You could drive (subject to meeting certain requirements) one of these vehicles in support of our work. We also need volunteers to use their own cars on occasions, to take people on trips out.
Friendship volunteers
Making the connection with the wider community is vital for many of the people using our services. Creating friendships builds confidence and self esteem. Many of our volunteers visit someone once a week, just to chat and have coffee. Some volunteers help by taking people on trips to the shops or places of interest. Others spend some time reading or enjoying music together.
Fundraisers
We rely on a steady stream of income to continue to provide our enhanced services. We welcome help from people to support events such as the London Marathon, and local fundraising activities and street collections.
Gardeners
Several of our services have large grounds and several have both sensory gardens and horticulture plots. Volunteers are vital to keep the gardens looking colourful and a place where the people we support can enjoy and feel safe. Our horticulture plots and greenhouses need a different approach. You could help people with a visual impairment understand how to plant, nurture, harvest and ultimately cook vegetables in a 'field to fork' learning experience.
Tandem cyclists
We provide regular cycling opportunities for visually impaired adults in our services. We accommodate adults with a wide range of abilities, and aim to give everyone the chance to enjoy the excitement and the fitness benefits of cycling, as well as the fun and friendship derived from a sociable group activity.
We would be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to help with our cycling activities.