Volunteer to help spread festive cheer across Oldham and Tameside

Volunteer to help spread festive cheer across Oldham and Tameside.

Christmas is the season of giving – and what better way to get in the festive spirit than by volunteering for a good cause in Oldham or Tameside?

Christmas can be a busy time, family to visit and lots of celebrations to attend, making it seem impossible to find the time to volunteer. Microvolunteering could be the answer. There is a growing trend for microvolunteering – where people volunteer their time in short and convenient chunks to charitable projects. This could include one-off volunteering at a yuletide event, such as organising a bake sale and fundraising event as part of the Action Oldham Fund’s ‘Dress Up Silly for Santa’.

Festive volunteer roles include everything from serving Christmas meals and befriending people who might otherwise be alone over the holiday period to supporting a local carol service by welcoming people and handing out hymn sheets to ensure everyone is able to sing-a-long.

Liz Windsor-Welsh, chief executive at Action Together, commented: “There is a belief that Christmas is a fun time of the year for everyone. However, Action Together works with and supports Oldham and Tameside community and voluntary organisations that help people who face a wide range of challenges throughout the year but Christmas can add extra pressure to families and older people as children are off school and the temperature drops.

“We know that it’s a time when many of the people in our communities are feeling especially alone and isolated from all the festivities. Volunteering to help local community and voluntary organisations is a great way to spread festive cheer by sharing some precious time to ease that loneliness and support people to enjoy some of the fun.

“My appeal to you is, please consider if you could spare a few hours to make a difference to someone’s life. Simply contact my colleagues at Volunteer Centre Oldham and Tameside.”

According to the Royal Voluntary Society, one in five adults in the UK intends to volunteer over the festive season. Those that do choose to volunteer will contribute more than 50 million hours of service in total across the UK.

To help you take the steps towards giving your time to a cause you care about this holiday season, Volunteer Centre Oldham and Tameside, part of the Action Together family, has rounded up a variety of local Christmas volunteer opportunities. To find out more visit http://www.actiontogether.org.uk/festive-volunteering, call the team on 0161 339 2345 or email volunteering@actiontogether.org.uk.

To hear first-hand about volunteering in Oldham and Tameside follow Vounteer Centre Oldham and Tameside on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/vcoldhamandtameside or follow the team on twitter http://www.twitter.com/VOldhamTameside.

In Oldham – find us at 12 Manchester Chambers, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1LF.

In Tameside – find us at 95-97 Penny Meadow, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6EP.