The first week of June marks Volunteers’ Week and Richmond council are encouraging people to find a volunteer opportunity that suits them.

The are holding a Volunteer Fair June 7th between 2-6pm at the Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College. People are encouraged to visit the fair, learn about volunteering in the area and find an opportunity that suits them.

The council estimate that there are 18,495 volunteers in Richmond who deliver a combined 28,031 hours of volunteering a week.

The council said: “Volunteering makes a huge difference to our borough and contributes so much to the well-being of the local community.

“There is a wide range of volunteering opportunities out there, from one-off volunteering to longer term placements that support one of the many charities that operate in the borough.

One of the borough’s newest volunteer opportunities is the People Hive in Twickenham. They provide a range of activities, work experience, training and opportunities for adults with a learning disability, to support their recreation, social integration and personal development.

Cllr Michael Wilson, Cabinet Member for Equality, Communities and the Voluntary Sector said: “It’s brilliant that so many residents give time to help improve their community or neighbourhood. Their contribution is vital to the borough and the organisations they support.

“There are many varied groups doing great work which enable people to offer their skills and time. I encourage you all to come down to this week’s volunteer fair and find out more, but importantly get involved as it can be very rewarding and make a real difference to people and our community.”

To find out about volunteer opportunities in the borough contact Richmond CVS on 020 8843 7945 or by visiting https://www.richmondcvs.org.uk/.