Life as a student can be so frantic and stressful – especially in Term 2, but Volunteering & Fundraising is a great way to take an hour or two out of your busy week and give back! For me personally, I’ve found it a great way to socialise and get out of the house, which is a necessary distraction from student life. For the last 2 years, KCL Netball have organised card signing events for ostracised LGBTQ+ communities, in partnership with The Rainbow Cards Project. These events have not only been a great way to give back to the wider community, but a relaxing say to switch off and socialise. As well as socialising, this event really emphasised to me how something so small can have such an impact on someone else, which goes some way in showing how much more conscious & self-aware Volunteering & Fundraising can encourage you to be.

  The great thing about Volunteering & Fundraising is that it doesn’t have to be a huge effort or commitment; there are so many simple things that you can do to get involved and spend some time entirely away from the hectic energy of university. Why don’t you try some of these ideas this volunteering and fundraising week?

• Give Blood – You can give blood at any time & there are so many blood drives in London, it’ll take you less than an hour, and you’ll know that you really are making a vital difference!
• Donate – this can be your time, money or resources. From clearing your wardrobe and donating to a charity shop, to mentoring other students, there are so many ways to donate the gifts you have this week and all year round.
• Litter Picking – perhaps less glamorous than the rest but an essential part of making London a much nicer place for every here. It’ll also get you out of the house, and potentially meeting new people too!

So why not get involved this Volunteering & Fundraising week? Come to one of our events, or just take a little bit of time out of your week to give back!