Volunteers’ Week 2026: Make a positive impact in your community through volunteering

Published: 28 May 2026 volunteer pruning bushes in the park

Redbridge is filled with community spirit thanks to local volunteers who make a real difference to the areas they live in. From community gardeners to litter picking champions –our borough is filled with everyday heroes, and you could be one for your community too. 

For Volunteers’ Week 2026 we’re shining a spotlight on some of the ways you can get involved in Volunteering in Redbridge 

As well as making a positive impact in the community, it can also be personally rewarding. Some of the well documented benefits of volunteering include:

  • Better physical and mental health and wellbeing
  • Learning new skills 
  • Making new friends and widening local support networks
  • Boosting your confidence
  • Developing a storing sense of connection to others in the community and your local area

Get started on your volunteering journey today: 

Community gardening

Community gardening brings people together – from growing flowers to growing your own food. It’s a great opportunity to meet people and make new friends in your community whilst increasing biodiversity in your area. 

Susie, from Wanstead, is one of the many local community gardeners volunteering their time to help transform outdoor spaces in their neighbourhood. 

Susie, who is part of the Wanstead Community Gardeners Group, said: “I’ve always loved gardening and thought it would be a great way to give back to the community. Community gardening has provided opportunities to get to know neighbours, meet new people and make our local spaces look lovely. We’ve had lots of compliments on the flowers planted and it really makes a difference to the area.”

If you live near a bare or unloved piece of land and have an idea about how your community can bring it to life - apply for our community gardening scheme today. You must adopt the space for a minimum of 12 months. Find out more: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/our-streets/spruce-up-your-neighbourhood/

Find out more about Wanstead Community Gardeners: https://wansteadcommunitygardeners.wordpress.com/

Litter picking

  • Volunteer and help Redbridge’s park rangers tackle litter in local parks and take care of the parks through Park Action Days. Find out more: https://visionrcl.org.uk/parks/support-your-park/ 
  • Local Wanstead councillors hold monthly litter picks on the third Saturday of each month at 10am. The meeting point is the bus stop on Woodbine Place, Wanstead. It’s open to anyone who wants to come along and litter pick. Equipment is provided.
  • The South Woodford Society lead monthly litter picks. To find out more including how to join head to: https://sowosoc.org/get-involved/environment-green-spaces/litter-picking/

Louise Burgess, Sustainability Lead for The South Woodford Society, said: “Litter picking is weirdly addictive! You can really make a difference in a short period of time, and it is very satisfying to see the before and after.  Children especially seem to really like litter picking and often have the most energy of any of us! Getting involved in litter picks, whatever age you are and however long or short a time you have, can really help you to feel part of the community and makes you realise how important our local area is - and that helping keep it clean really does make a difference.”

There’s lots of other ways to volunteer too – no matter how big, or small: 

Alvin, 82, regularly volunteers as a repair expert at the Repair Cafes run by Transition Town Ilford, at Redbridge Central Library. The former engineer imparts his repair knowledge and skills to the community, while helping fix items for free through the Repair Café events.

Alvin said: “I have years of repair experience and enjoy sharing my knowledge as a former engineer to breathe life into new items and help create a more sustainable community. One of my aims is to help local people brush up on their repair skills so everyday items can be kept for longer instead of being replaced quickly at the first sign of a problem.”   

Over the years Alvin has helped repair all kinds of items for local people for free from kettles, toasters, and hoovers, to lawnmowers and even a Dansette Record Player from the fifties and a Juke Box.