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Without volunteers on hand to fundraise, help with events and support service users, many charities would struggle to survive. However, volunteering doesn’t just benefit the community; it also brings with it a wealth of benefits for the volunteers themselves, from work experience and new skills, to new friendships.

While you can volunteer at any stage of your life, older people who are retired and don’t have to worry about childcare are often able to support in ways that others cannot.

One such volunteer is Lorraine, a resident at Sycamore House. Originally from Northern Ireland, Lorraine has lived in London for most of her adult life. When she retired from paid work, Lorraine started volunteering, first at Charing Cross Hospital and now for Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank at St Simon’s Church. We spoke to Lorraine about how volunteering has enriched her retirement.

How long have you been a Hammersmith United Charities resident Lorraine?

I moved here in January 2022 and it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. I am secure here; you can take part in as much or as little as you wish, and it’s a community. Chris [our scheme manager at Sycamore House, pictured above] is just amazing, as are the rest of the staff. All my family are back home in Northern Ireland, so it’s good to have the support here as and when you need it.

I celebrated my birthday on Saturday night with a disco down in the communal lounge. It was a great night and I think I’m still getting over the effects!

What made you decide to start volunteering?

I was a key worker for young adults with learning disabilities. I thought long and hard about retiring, but I knew I couldn’t keep that work up forever. I thought, “What am I going to replace this with? Because I can’t just sit in here and tug on my thumbs!” I saw an advert at the hospital and have been volunteering for over three years now.

Can you tell us about your volunteering work?

I volunteer at St Simon’s on a Thursday. People come in with a voucher; we sit down with them and do a picking list. They get a bag of fresh food, vegetables and fruit. Some days it’s extremely busy. Other times you get a rush at the beginning and then it tapers off.

We have a hub as well where they can go and have a hot meal. They can also apply for a SIM card and we can send people to places where they can get clothes. Each week is completely different.

You get to know the clients who come in regularly, and they get to know you. If I meet them in the street, they’ll say hello. If you’re not there, then they’ll say, “Oh, we haven’t seen you for a week or two. Were you away? Are you okay?” It really shows that you’re making an impact on them and it makes you appreciate what you have yourself.

How have you benefited from volunteering?

I’ve made such a good circle of friends. We go away together. We’ve been to Harrogate and York and are planning to go to the Isle of Wight for a long weekend. They have parties in their houses and we celebrate birthdays together.

Before I started volunteering, my circle of friends was small, and it’s like a pond that has just rippled out and out. When I was at my party last week and I looked around, I really was moved, because I thought, “These are all people who are here for you – your friends, genuine friends.” It’s just wonderful.

Over to you…

Do you want to make new friends, learn new skills and give back to your community? There are hundreds of volunteering opportunities available across Hammersmith. You could help with admin, fundraising, packing food boxes or supporting vulnerable adults or children. Most community organisations rely on volunteers, so just get in touch to offer your support, or search for opportunities at www.linkuplondon.org

Dance and music bring people together. They boost our mental and physical wellbeing, and they’re a lot of fun, whether you’re a child or an adult.

However, if you’re struggling to afford basic essentials like rent and food, then paying to attend a class is almost impossible.

That’s where WiggleWaggle World comes in.

The CIC was started by Keisha Morgan for low-income families in Hammersmith. She explains, “I was on maternity leave with my second daughter. I was taking her to early years music sessions, which were £15 to £20 for just one class, and thought, ‘What if you don’t have money, but you still want to do quality musical activities with your children? Where do you go?’

“So, I started running music and movement classes in children’s centres, nurseries and then primary schools. WiggleWaggle grew from there.”

The classes are inclusive and help to support gross motor, language and emotional skills, particularly for under-5s. They’ve proven very popular with children, parents and teachers alike, so Keisha is now delivering several classes a week, along with children’s parties and family-friendly community events. She shares, “It just lit a fire in me. There’s a real need for this, for the community, and I just want to take it as far as I can. Life is challenging for a lot of people, so if I can just spread a bit of togetherness, connection, joy and happiness for people in the community that I grew up in, then I want to do that.  We’re having a great time!”

Zumba at Old Oak

While Keisha’s main focus to begin with was young children, she soon realised that there was also a need amongst their parents:

“A lot of the parents want to exercise, but they don’t have anyone to look after their children, or they can’t afford to do things for themselves. Financial hardship shouldn’t be a barrier to stop people from exercising.”

Keisha started running free Zumba classes at Old Oak Community Centre, funded with the help of a grant that the centre secured from Hammersmith United Charities. When the funding came to an end, Keisha applied for a grant for WiggleWaggle. We were able to provide £2,530, which meant the Zumba classes could continue.

In many cases, the classes are the only organised activity that the women can do on a regular basis. The benefits extend far beyond the health impacts alone. As one participant shares, “Not only has it built up my fitness and stamina it has also built up my body confidence. With the cost of living as high as it is, I can’t afford gym memberships so this free class which is for the local community is brilliant. There are extra bonuses aside from the fitness too: you get to meet new people, make new friends, talk to neighbours you had never spoken to before (even after 20 [years] living on the same street!), laugh and have fun.”

Keisha adds, “Women say to me, ‘If I didn’t have this class, I don’t know what I’d do. This is my mental health support.’ The feedback I’ve had has been a real outpouring of love.”

As well as the Zumba classes, Keisha used her grant to throw two community parties, one of which was a Christmas party with food, drink, entertainment and a visit from Father Christmas.

Keisha has big ambitions for WiggleWaggle, including reaching more families in the borough. She’s already running a daytime class where women can bring their babies, and she plans to apply for more funding so that she can offer free childcare alongside the evening classes.

She adds, “I threw a party for the parents of WiggleWaggle children, which went down really well, because they never really have a night off. The opportunities are endless; we could have retreats; we could get a coach to the seaside and do WiggleWaggle on the beach…

“This is my community – I grew up here, I went to school here – so it’s really nice to connect with families and give something back.”

Take part in a WiggleWaggle class

• Keisha’s free Zumba classes are held on Thursdays (term-time only), 6.30-7.30pm at Family Hub Old Oak Community Centre.
• WiggleWaggle’s dance & music classes for under-5s will be restarting soon.

You can find out more about WiggleWaggle on Instagram @keishawigglewaggle

Job Description

Job Title:                            Assistant Community Gardener

Accountable to:                Head of Housing & Property

Direct reports:                  Community Gardner

Liaison with:                     Residents, contractors, volunteers, staff, and visitors

Salary:                                £28,000 PA (pro rata)

Location:                            The postholder will work across the Charity’s two almshouses, John Betts House and Sycamore House (housing                                                   for older people), both in Hammersmith

Hours of Work:                 4 Days/30 Hours Per Week with occasional out of hours working

Job Purpose

Work jointly with the Community Gardener to ensure the Charity’s award-winning communal gardens are cared for and maintained to the highest standards. Use your skills, knowledge, and experience to ensure the gardens provide a warm and inviting space for residents and visitors throughout the year. Develop opportunities to involve residents in gardening activities to improve their health and wellbeing.

About us

Hammersmith United Charities was founded in 1618 and makes grants to community organisations helping local people address complex social issues such as poverty, inequality or mental ill health. We also have two almshouses in Hammersmith, for older members of our community. Over the years, our gardens have been developed to ensure they are not only beautiful, but creative spaces where our residents can get involved if they choose or simply relax and enjoy. The gardens are based on organic principles.  They include plants that attract butterflies, bees and birds, and plants that are stimulating in colour, aroma and texture.  Residents can tend to their own hanging baskets, pots and allotments and get involved in various gardening projects and workshops that are run to help and support residents in engaging with the gardens.  Our gardens have won many awards at the London Garden Society competition, which are judged according to Royal Horticultural Society guidelines.

About you  

This is an exciting opportunity for a hardworking, professional gardener to continue the fantastic achievements of previous gardeners alongside our Assistant Community Gardener. We are looking for someone who has a wealth of demonstratable knowledge and experience, with the relevant horticultural qualifications to support this. Widespread experience and expertise in a range of gardening disciplines/techniques is essential as well as an open mind to continuous development and learning new skills.

The successful applicant must be self-motivated with the ability to manage and motivate to achieve the highest standards. You will demonstrate a track record of leadership in managing and/or developing similar environments.  We are looking for someone with imagination and flair, an understanding of community organisations who has good communication skills, a caring disposition who is empathetic, with an unrelenting capacity to encourage and support our residents.

5 years + experience in a similar role or position is desirable and a relevant horticultural qualification along with an eye for detail, the ability to take responsibility, act decisively and the ability to turn your hand to most tasks, is essential.

This is a physically demanding role, working outside all year round, in all weathers. The role involves carrying out tasks requiring high levels of manual dexterity, as well as physically demanding tasks, such as trimming hedges, shovelling, digging, mulching, lifting and carrying.

The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS Check.

We value and respect all the differences that make us who we are, including age, cultural background, disability and mental health, ethnicity and race, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and social background.

How to Apply

The closing date for all applications is at noon on Friday, 5^th June 2026. Applications will not be accepted after this date and time.

Please email the completed application and your CV to lisa.dasilva@hamunitedcharities.com and use the subject line: Assistant Community Gardener.  If you require support with completing this application form, or for an informal chat, please contact Victoria Cripps on 07909 203 924.

Almost 1 million people are living with dementia in the UK and that figure is expected to rise considerably over the next few years. With statutory services stretched to their limit, it often falls on charities to provide support, particularly for those who live alone.

Here in Hammersmith & Fulham, The Creighton Centre offers a lifeline to 350 socially isolated older people, most of whom are on a low income. The average age of participants is 82 and around 40% have dementia. Fundraiser Stephen Womersley shares, “We found that, increasingly, more people were being referred to us with dementia – mild, moderate and severe. We realised that we needed extra resources for them so created a comprehensive programme of support, Circle of Care, which is delivered by volunteers and overseen by a specialist dementia coordinator.”

That programme of support includes:

• Safe & well checks
• Home visits for housebound clients
• Emergency staff intervention
• Befriending
• Advocacy work
• Group activities such as gardening and dancing
• Events, workshops and advisory sessions
• Home adaptations
• GP/NHS liaison

Stephen says, “These are people who often fall through the gaps, so we bring together the various services they need, from an Admiral nurse to council support services, together under the umbrella of the Circle of Care programme. Our volunteers are trained to be able to recognise what services may be missing, what services need to be provided and what level of care that person needs.”

Loneliness and isolation increase the risk of developing dementia. On the other hand, conversations and group activities strengthen neural connections, so regular social interaction can actually slow down the rate that dementia progresses. In other words, when isolated older people are given the chance to regularly interact with others, it can significantly impact their life and help them to live independently for longer.

The Creighton Centre gives older people that chance to socialise, whether that’s during a home visit, a chair-based exercise class, or a stroll with a walking buddy.

Hammersmith United Charities’ grant

We’ve provided the Creighton Centre with a grant of £8,000 to help fund its dementia work. Stephen says, “It’s only because of funders like Hammersmith United Charities that we’re able to do what we do. This year, they’re supporting our older people services in Hammersmith; previously, they supported our learning disability programme, so we’re very grateful.”

Volunteer with the Creighton Centre

Like many charities, The Creighton Centre relies on volunteers to deliver its services. In total, it has around 120 volunteers supporting five different projects, and it’s currently recruiting people to act as specialist dementia and other volunteers.

If you’re interested in volunteering, there are a number of ways you can help, from visiting a housebound person once a week or providing a daily wellness check over the phone, to helping someone who’s recently been discharged from hospital to regain their independence. You’ll receive full training and ongoing support.

Visit https://www.creightoncentre.org/volunteer/ to find out more.