TimeGivers volunteering
TimeGivers volunteering
On Monday 27 November, a team of students from the LV visited the offices of Starlight Children’s Foundation, just around the corner from SPGS on Shepherds Bush Road.Starlight is a charity that emphasises the importance of play for children who are seriously ill. Being in hospital for a long period of time can be very isolating and distressing, so giving children the experience of play can boost their wellbeing and resilience during treatment.
This experience was made possible through the charity TimeGivers, which specialises in providing volunteering opportunities for schools and students. During the afternoon, we helped package and alphabetise gifts that were to be sent to the children being supported by Starlight. It was extremely motivating to understand that the presents that we were packing could change the lives of these children to such an extent. We were very happy to have this opportunity.
Katya (LV)
The UK throws away 9.5 million tonnes of food every year. And did you know that the most common items of food waste are potatoes, followed by bread? And what’s more, there are potentially 8.5 million people in this country facing food poverty. One organisation that’s doing something about this is the Nourish Hub, run by the charity UKHarvest, a place where people in the community can connect and eat lunch together. They also offer educational programmes to help people improve their knowledge around low-cost, nutritious eating choices and minimising food waste.
On Friday 1 December, a group of MIV and UIV were lucky enough to visit and help out in various ways. First, we scrubbed potatoes, butternut squash and lettuce for the meals being cooked for lunch. We made sure to leave the skins on, as the more edible food we use, the less food waste. We then filled in a worksheet which took us through the different factors to help decide what food donations were acceptable. We all brought in donations such as pasta, chickpeas, and butter, so we used these to aid us in our discussion. Finally, given the time of year, we made Christmas cards to be given to the elderly, which the Hub delivers to those that can’t come in person. I must admit, I got a bit carried away with the washi tape! Overall, it was a great experience. It was fun to get our hands dirty (literally!), learn about the important topic of food waste and to give back to the community.
Haniya (UIV)
