So many ways you can help: Find out how at Vale Volunteer Bureau outreach sessions at Penarth Library (From Penarth Times)

So many ways you can help: Find out how at Vale Volunteer Bureau outreach sessions at Penarth Library

4:30pm Monday 7th January 2013 in News

THE majority of us make New Year’s Resolutions - and these are likely to include keeping fit and healthy, meeting new friends, learning new skills and helping others.

If you have made any - or all - of these resolutions, then you may be interested to know that volunteering can help you achieve your goals.

Hundreds of volunteering opportunities exist within the Vale of Glamorgan, and many are for just an hour or two per week. Some can be done from home, others may be done within your community or, if you are willing and able to travel, then most organisations will reimburse your travel expenses.

You can keep fit and healthy and help the environment with opportunities such as ‘Walk Leader’, taking groups of people for designated walks in the Vale of Glamorgan; or ‘Walk and Clear Volunteer’, helping maintain walkways and promoting countryside access, and health and wellbeing on behalf of Valeways.

If you are a keen cyclist you may be interested in the role of ‘Active Travel Champion’ with Sustrans Cymru.

Encouraging more people to walk and cycle, you may wish to start, or join, a local bike group?

If you are a keen gardener you may be interested in learning more about small-scale, local organic food production and ensuring that more people have access to locally grown food by volunteering as a ‘Horticultural Assistant’ with Riverside Market Garden located in St Hilary.

Or, if you have an interest in sports, then there are a number of opportunities that you could be involved with.

The list of opportunities is vast; if you would like more information on these opportunities, or any other opportunities that are available in the Vale of Glamorgan - or perhaps you know of an organisation that may require volunteers - then contact the Vale Volunteer Bureau on 01446 421782, email info@vvb.org.uk  or go along to one of their outreach sessions at Penarth Library.

They will be at the library on Monday, January 14, from 10am to noon and Friday, January 25, from noon to 2pm.

Further sessions are planned in Penarth for Monday, February 4 (10am-noon); Wednesday, February 13 (noon-2pm); Friday, February 22 (2-4pm); Monday, March 4 (10am-noon); Wednesday, March 13 (12 noon-2pm); and Friday, March 22 (2-4pm).