LUSUMA Charity and Volunteering Hub

Hello and welcome to the charity and volunteering hub. This is a brand new LUSUMA section so pretty much open to any suggestions. If you are interested to get your charity and/or volunteering projects posted on here contact charity@lusuma.com.

This year we will be working closely with the Student Union to get your volunteering work recognised. If you are involved in any kind of volunteering activities make sure you keep a log book of your volunteering hours on the SU volunteering hub.

If volunteering is something you would like to give a go but do not really know where to start, look no more. You are here in the right place: our charity and volunteering officer has been working hard to put together a list of opportunities for everyone to find a volunteering opportunity you enjoy because volunteering is not meant to be felt like a chore but rather a fun use of your time!

If your are not yet convinced of the benefits of volunteering we would highly recommend it as a flexible way to gain interpersonal and transferable skills while starting to make a difference in the community before even graduating as a medic so give it a go and let us know if you agree with us :)
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Project LIGHT

This is a charity closely linked with the University as it was created by staff members from the medical school and aims at providing fortnightly health awareness sessions at the Bridge, a homeless shelter that provides breakfast all week and meals on Sundays to the homeless population.

GoodGym Leicester

They are part of a wider network across the UK of people who enjoy both running and volunteering and meet weekly on Tuesdays in Leicester to run to a good deed - excellent if you can't commit regularly or prefer a bit of variety as every week you go to a different project!

Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland

You will hear quite a bit about them this year as they have been chosen as one of our charities of the year but one of the volunteering opportunities you could get involved with is their befriending scheme where they match you with an elderly person at risk of isolation to befriend and visit on a weekly or fortnight basis.

Heartwize

As our other charity of the year, we hope you will see them around campus at some of our charity and fundraising events and perhaps get involved with them too. Their main objective is to provide CPR training to school children all across the UK, quite ambitious but that is why they need YOU! Again, as a Leicester University project set up by some of our consultants it is something we are quite proud about and keep to keep supporting.

Parkrun

If you are a keen runner, you have probably heard about Parkrun by now. In Leicester, we have two Parkruns on Saturdays (one in Victoria Park and one at Braunstone) and one junior Parkrun in Ayelstone on Sunday mornings. But for them to keep happening they are in constant need of friendly volunteers so why not become a marshal on the days you don't feel like running?

Walking for Health Leicester

 If you are interested in social prescribing, this is the project for you! Walking for Health is now a well established scheme that aims at getting very sedentary people to improve their lifestyle through low intensity strolls. Last year, some keen students started a new branch in Vicky Park and are always happy to welcome new walk leaders to join the Saturday walks.

Leicester fixers

 If you are into up-cycling and sustainability, this is a great project to get involved with. The fixers are a group of fixing enthusiasts that provide fixing clinics to repair all sorts of objects to prevent unnecessary waste. Even if you don't have much experience as long as you have the enthusiasm, they will be more than happy to teach you give your old objects a second life!

Keep Up! with Wild Honey

A Clarendon Park Community based group. The Keep Up! Project aims at helping bridge the gap between generations by helping teach people how to use their modern devices. They meet up during term time on Wednesday early evenings in Clarendon Park, at Chirstchurch. This is an ideal opportunity if you are into computers and all things tech but also for anyone with what you would consider a decent knowledge of the bases such as how to use Skype, emails, iPads (which as Leicester medical students we should all be pros at doing). More than that it will allow you to learn how to transmit your knowledge with patience and improve your communication skills.

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LUSUMA Charity Officer - Elena Perez
charity@lusuma.com​

If you would like to learn more about getting involved with charity work, want to suggest any new charities or volunteering opportunities, or have any queries, feel free to email Elena at charity@lusuma.com.

To find out more about Elena, click below:

More about Elena