Places where you can volunteer in London

Bookmark is a charity that exists to help improve children's literacy through dedicated one-on-one reading support. Volunteering with Bookmark offers a selfless opportunity to make a direct impact on a child's education by providing personalised reading assistance. By becoming a Bookmark volunteer, you'll be able to contribute to fostering a love for reading and learning and empower young minds to thrive academically and beyond.

Crisis was founded in 1967 and is a homelessness charity that helps those in need to find ways out of homelessness. They help tackle not just homelessness but also assist vulnerable people in accessing benefits, healthcare services, employment opportunities, and more. You can offer your services in many ways by volunteering for Crisis, whether in one of their charity shops or working directly alongside people experiencing homelessness. You don't need any experience to volunteer, and they will provide all the training and support necessary so that you feel comfortable and confident in your role.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is an animal rescue centre where dogs and cats seek their forever home. Established in 1860, the centre has been helping animals find loving homes ever since and is the UK's oldest and most well-known animal rescue centre. You can volunteer to help in many ways, from office roles and fostering to assisting at fundraising events and more.

St. Mungo's is another homelessness charity working to help end homelessness and rebuild lives. There are loads of ways you can get involved, from teaching art classes and providing psychotherapy to supporting their outreach teams with StreetLink referrals. They are an Investing in Volunteers accredited organisation, which means you'll be involved with an organisation that strives to support its volunteers in the best possible way.

More than 14 million people in the UK live below the poverty line, and The Trussell Trust is a charity assisting in striving to end this. They support a nationwide network of food banks and provide emergency food to those desperately in need. But, they go beyond this; they realise it takes more than food to end hunger, so they aim to challenge the structural issues that keep people in poverty while campaigning for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. If you want to help with this, you can volunteer with The Trussell Trust in various roles, from helping with donations and packing food parcels to tackling loneliness and leading projects.

Hackney Night Shelter has been working with the community to provide shelter and support to homeless people for more than 25 years. They provide year-round emergency shelter to homeless people alongside individual plans that will assist them in finding longer-term accommodation. Without volunteers, there would be no Hackney Night Shelter, so they openly welcome volunteers from all backgrounds who help to run the shelter and run a successful programme of events to raise the much-needed funds to provide services for their guests.

The Food Chain is a charity working to ensure people living with HIV in London can access the nutrition they need to get well, stay well, and lead healthy, independent lives. They deliver groceries and meals whilst also providing cooking and nutrition classes to those living with HIV and their dependents. The charity wouldn't exist without all the incredible volunteers who dedicate their time and skills, and you can get involved in several ways. From kitchen assistant roles to event hosting and community fundraising, they have various volunteering roles up for grabs, which means you'll play a vital role in the makeup of The Food Chain.

This volunteer-led charity has been helping Londoners who are homeless since 1876, meeting the individual needs of each person who walks through their doors. They provide food, shelter, clothing and medical care to those in need, meeting their basic human needs. On the other hand, they offer recovery programmes that address the deeper needs for life skills, job skills training, and addiction recovery if necessary. Their volunteering programme is designed for teams instead of individuals and varies from serving breakfast and providing advice to sorting donations and offering life skills services.

The Feminist Library, originally known as the Women's Research and Resources Centre (WRRC), was set up in 1975 during the height of the Women's Liberation Movement. It's essentially a large archive of feminist literature and community space in Peckham where they support research, activist, and community projects. It's almost entirely volunteer-led, and they are always looking for new volunteers in many different areas.

Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) is one of the world's leading children's hospitals. An the weekend, they host various activities ranging from arts and crafts, games, play and entertainment sessions, which are partly run by volunteers like yourselves. The requirements are one six-hour session every fortnight on either a Saturday or Sunday, where you'll help with running any of the events above.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is a well-known UK-based charity dedicated to the fight against heart disease. Established in 1961, the BHF funds research, education, and healthcare initiatives aimed at preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. The organisation plays a crucial role in raising awareness about heart health, supporting groundbreaking research, and providing assistance to individuals affected by heart conditions. There are many ways you can get involved by volunteering, whether that's by working at one of their charity shops in London, organising fundraising events or assisting at an event. There are plenty of flexible and inclusive roles to choose from.

Oxfam is a global humanitarian charity dedicated to addressing poverty, inequality, and social injustice worldwide. Everything they do is rooted in the commitment to the universality of human rights, and volunteering with them provides you with a chance to actively participate in this via a range of initiatives. From supporting sustainable development projects to contributing to emergency response efforts, there are several ways you can get involved whilst playing a crucial role in creating positive and lasting change.

Hackney City Farm offers the opportunity to get up close with adorable farm animals and see the ins and outs of a working farm right in the heart of the city. They offer regular volunteering opportunities for those who enjoy spending time on a farm, which includes everything from helping with the animals and building facilities on the farm to constructing compost heaps and tree-planting. This could work as a day out or as part of a longer-term partnership with the farm,

The Vagina Museum is the world's first and only museum dedicated to exploring and celebrating the social, cultural, and scientific aspects of vaginas and vulvas, through a diverse range of exhibitions, events, and educational programmes. The museum wouldn't exist without volunteers, and there are many ways you can also offer your time to contribute to this. They ask for at least one five-hour monthly shift alongside a training session. The roles range from helping at the front desk to greet visitors and answering questions to assisting with accessibility and ticket checking. The best part? You'll be part of a fiercely feminist team.

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London is a lush park and recreational space that's a lasting legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The park comprises beautifully-landscaped areas, waterways, and iconic structures like the ArcelorMittal Orbit, which are all maintained by volunteers, otherwise known as Park Champions. Park Champions help look after the gardens and landscapers whilst imposing their personal skills, confidence, and well-being. The Park Champions are a vital part of the Queen Elizabeth Park team.

Walthamstow Wetlands, North East London, is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers. As Europe's largest urban wetland nature reserve, it spans nearly 500 acres, made up of reservoirs, marshes, and meadows. The Wetlands provide crucial habitat for a varied range of bird species, including migratory birds and waterfowl. Volunteering here not only provides you with some time in nature, but it also offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the conservation and management of this important ecological site. There are many volunteering roles you can get stuck into, such as habitat restoration, bird monitoring, and maintaining public access areas.

There's no place quite like GoodGym, a charity that combines physical fitness with community service. They operate across various locations, encouraging volunteers to incorporate exercise into their routines while making a positive impact on their local communities. Participants engage in group runs or walks to carry out tasks that benefit community projects, like helping the elderly with household chores, gardening, or supporting local charities.

WWT London Wetland Centre, located a little outside of the city in the heart of Barnes, offers an urban sanctuary for wildlife and people who want to volunteer in nature. As a volunteer here, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to the conservation of wetland habitats and the wildlife that calls it home. Volunteers play a vital role in the centre's mission to protect and sustainably manage wetlands, from assisting in habitat restoration projects to engaging visitors with educational programs. It's a great way to deepen your understanding of local ecosystems, develop valuable conservation skills, and foster a sense of care for the natural world.

The London Wildlife Trust is a charity committed to conserving and improving natural habitats, biodiversity, and green areas within the city. Volunteering for the London Wildlife Trust provides a unique opportunity to actively engage in urban conservation initiatives, be it through wildlife surveys, habitat restoration projects, or educational programmes. Becoming a volunteer enables individuals to connect with like-minded people, gain insights into local ecosystems, and contribute to the welfare of London's varied wildlife.

Kew Gardens, officially known as the Royal Botanic Gardens, is a world-renowned botanical research and education institution located in South West London. Home to an extraordinary collection of living plants, it spans 300 acres and houses iconic structures like the Palm House, the Temperate House, the peaceful  Japanese Garden, and lush treetop walkways offering panoramic views of the city skyline. You can volunteer at this UNESCO World Heritage Site in several ways, such as becoming a volunteer gardener, working in the plant shop, being a science assistant, or helping with visiting schools.

Manor House Library offers a welcoming space to access a diverse selection of books, multimedia resources, and educational programmes. Housed in a historic building with modern touches, the library provides a peaceful setting for reading, studying, and community engagement. Occasional events, workshops, and activities also take place. You can partake in several volunteering positions here, from checking in and out books and shelving items to helping run children's activities, and more.