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Volunteering – A New Perspective For Life

June 1, 2023

volunteer a few hours a week to support community transport in west London

Volunteering changes your life. 17.9 million people across the UK can’t be wrong. And making a difference in your community was never more needed – there are countless ways to get involved.

Lean on Me

Many local services across the UK couldn’t function without volunteers. Food bank deliveries wouldn’t get made, children’s toys for hospice residents wouldn’t get delivered and young people stuck at that awkward age between 12 and 17, wouldn’t have access to social clubs and activities.

Every hour volunteers give, changes a life – like a superpower we all have at our fingertips. And it’s right on your doorstep, waiting to be activated.  

17.9 million people across the UK volunteer regularly, from one day a month to one day a week, any amount of time a person can give is priceless. What you can offer is driven by you. This writer volunteers once a week, gardening at a local visitor attraction, and I’ve spent the best part of my life volunteering in some way, volunteering even got me my first job – surprising things happen when you commit.

National Volunteering Week

This year, National Volunteering Week (1-7 June 2023) celebrates the invaluable contribution of volunteers across the UK. And we want to highlight the many benefits to be gained from volunteering with us at Westway CT. 

At its heart, community transport is about providing a safe, reliable, and affordable way for people to travel. For older people living with mobility or other issues, having access to accessible transport is life – changing, meaning they can stay independent and keep their social connections. This is critical when it comes to fighting social isolation and depression. The pandemic introduced many of us to the impact of social isolation, and bought us closer to realising how important it is to fight it at any age.

A Few Hours a Week Can Change a Life

Our minibuses and volunteer car service (similar to a taxi service but cheaper and tailored to older people’s needs) bring choice and freedom, helping people access healthcare, go shopping and meet friends and family. Community transport makes communities stronger and we’ve been part of our borough for 30 years. 

Our services are driven by a mix of staff and volunteers, they use their car our one of ours. If you can spare a few hours a week that would be great, enough to help someone meet a friend or go on a shopping trip that will lift the spirits, and help them stay connected to the things that make them feel unique, valued.

There are many tangible benefits to volunteering, such as the sense of satisfaction gained from helping others and the sense of pride you get from seeing your efforts positively impacting your community.  It’s a great way to gain new skills, meet new people and build relationships, and often impacts your life just as positively as those you help. By taking on a new challenge and working with others to make a difference, you can build your skills, knowledge and self-belief.

At Westway CT, we are committed to creating an environment where volunteers feel valued and supported. We host regular training sessions to help our volunteers gain the skills and knowledge necessary to make a positive difference to their community. 

We are always looking for new volunteers to join our team. If you’re looking for a way to give back and make a difference in people’s lives, why not consider volunteering for Westway CT? 

Get Involved!

Can you spare a few hours a week to drive for us? Give us a call to find out how it works around you. And learn more about National Volunteering Week, visit www.volunteersweek.org.

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