Volunteering is rewarding and changes lives, says Rose Meredith of Vision RCL, who is encouraging residents to come and experience the joy of helping others at South Woodford Library this summer
This year, Volunteers’ Week runs from 1 to 8 June. This is when we thank volunteers for all they do and their contributions to volunteering in Redbridge Libraries.
Redbridge libraries are run by Vision Redbridge Culture and Leisure, and we recruit volunteers in Wanstead and South Woodford libraries to assist the public with all kinds of activities: from individual computer help, such as assistance with filling in online forms, to volunteering to deliver books as part of our Home Library Service for housebound readers, and volunteers enjoy being part of our children’s programme of activities, helping to deliver rhyme time sessions for under-5s.
We also have many young volunteers who assist us during the summer holidays with our annual Summer Reading Challenge, now in its 20th year. This is part of our wider programme of children’s summer activities we offer for children aged between four and 12 to boost their reading skills. This year, children who take part in the Summer Reading Challenge will be earning exciting prizes and medals for reading and talking to our volunteers about the books they have chosen to read. Volunteers make it fun for the children to keep reading throughout the summer and the children meet others in their local area and make new friends in South Woodford.
We are very grateful to our volunteers. We want to say a very big thank you to everyone for being part of our vibrant volunteer community and, of course, we welcome enquiries if you want to start volunteering in your local library.
Come along to South Woodford Library on 8 June – drop in between 2pm and 4pm – if you want to find out about being a volunteer in our Summer Reading Challenge. You can volunteer from the age of 14. The theme this year is ‘Space Chase’, inspired by the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. Children taking part in the challenge will join our super space family, The Rockets, for a thrilling mission to track down books nabbed by mischievous aliens. There will be fun, prizes and, of course, a medal for each child who completes the challenge.
Our volunteers will be essential in helping us achieve the very best outcomes for all children who attend and our volunteers say they have a great time during the summer holidays with the children, the staff and the other volunteers. So, if you would like to join in and become a volunteer, come along to South Woodford Library and talk to us.
