Family Volunteer Club
Our Family Volunteer Club gives the children and grandchildren of fully recruited Link volunteers the opportunity to experience volunteering in a safe, welcoming and meaningful way.
We know that kindness can start young. Through practical, enjoyable activities, children & young people under 18yrs can build confidence, learn new skills, meet people of different generations and discover the positive difference they can make in their community.
Why is volunteering great for kids?
It builds confidence, empathy, communication and teamwork - and kids who help out young are more likely to keep volunteering as adults.
It's great for our Link Friends too. Family volunteering brings the generations together, so children see what older people have to offer, and Link Friends enjoy time with someone younger who's chosen to be there.
Our first volunteers
Our first Family Volunteer Club moment came at our Summer Party, when three young people joined their mum to help out for the day - setting up, welcoming people and chatting to Link Friends.
Volunteer Deese told us: "What a wonderful time the kids and I had - they said they loved it... I can promise you that if there are other opportunities for my lot to help out, they will jump at it." Link Friends at the event loved seeing young people getting stuck in too.
Family Volunteer Club opportunities
🌱 Link to Nature autumn bulb planting
From 5yrs to 18yrs
Saturday 26 September, 10.30am to approximately 1pm
The Salvation Army Hall, Wokingham
Help us prepare for a spring bulb planting session for Link Friends. Families can help set out tables and chairs, cover tables with newspaper, prepare pots, compost and bulbs, and assist with refreshments and tidying up. The activity for Link Friends runs from 11am to 12.30pm.
🎨 Christmas craft session
From 5yrs to 11yrs
Saturday 17 October, 10am to 12 noon
The Link Visiting Scheme offices
Join us to decorate angel tree decorations that will be given to Link Friends during the festive season. Children may also bring a friend, provided the Link volunteer takes responsibility for supervising them throughout the session.
🎄 The Link Christmas Party
From 8yrs to 18yrs
Saturday 21 November, 1.30pm to 4pm
Loddon Hall, Twyford
Our annual Christmas Party will bring together our Link Friends and volunteers. Family volunteers could help with suitable activities such as preparing the hall, welcoming and chatting with Link Friends, serving refreshments and helping to clear away.
🎶 Community Café Christmas Special
All ages up to 18yrs
Thursday 17 December, 10am to 1pm
All Saints Church, Wokingham
Our Christmas Special will include carols, a brass band, festive refreshments and an opportunity to remember those we may miss at Christmas. Family volunteers could help with setting up, serving suitable refreshments, reading a poem and clearing away.
Book your place
All activities will be age-appropriate, and children must remain with and be supervised by their parent, grandparent or carer throughout. Advance booking is essential so we can ensure our young volunteers have the best time.
Register your interest in one or more of these session below.
“I think you all do the most brilliant job and honestly, I’m so proud to put my name to The Link Visiting Scheme charity.
My kids and I had a wonderful time volunteering, they were buzzing for hours after!”
A multigenerational friendship
When 11-year-old Anya joins her mum Soniya's weekly visits to Margaret, a Link Friend in her nineties, something special happens across the generations. Anya has formed a close bond with Margaret through their shared love of stories, history and laughter - hearing firsthand accounts of wartime Britain has even inspired Anya's own schoolwork. "It's helped me a lot because reading a book, for example, isn't the same as someone you meet actually telling you the story that happened," Anya says.
For Margaret, the visits bring the joy of a young friend eager to learn from her; for Anya, they offer a connection to a generation whose experiences might otherwise be lost. As Anya puts it: "Margaret makes you smile a lot, and she always has loads of nice stories to tell and things to show me."
Donate to support projects like Family Volunteer Club
Last year, over 1,300 people benefited from our services - including Family Volunteer Club. With your help, we can ensure even more feel connected and supported in their community.