KUSU Volunteer blogs about London Student Volunteering Fortnight 2012!

KUSU Volunteer Amanda

“Hi my name is Amanda and I’m a 3rd year Biomedical Science student at Kingston University. I recently took part in a One-Off Volunteering opportunity - a Rhododendron Clearance at Kingston Hill campus during ‘London Student Volunteering Fortnight’. One-Off Volunteering is great because even if you have a really busy schedule you can still find the odd opportunity to volunteer.

Rhododendron bushes are an invasive species which outcompete native plants, reducing the biodiversity of the area. The aim of the event was to clear them away and improve the campus woodland environment. I absolutely loved the prospect of getting my hands a little dirty and it was enormously amusing to hear everyone shout “timber” every time a rhododendron bush was chopped down. I must say I was fully pumped for a good day of tree pruning but guess my surprise when a few worms popped up where we were working for a visit - I’m not very fond of worms!

Volunteering is great fun. It’s a wonderful chance to meet new people, use your free time to get involved, gain new experiences and make a contribution to your community. KUSU Volunteering reimburse your volunteer travel and lunch expenses, plus volunteering always looks good on your CV. It doesn’t get any better!”

Blog by Amanda Dandagama Mudiyanselage

As well as the Rhododendron Clearance, students took part in several other volunteer taster events as part of London Student Volunteering Fortnight (LSVF). Students learnt how to knit hats for babies in neonatal units in hospital, as well as helping build and paint a labyrinth for the community to use! Check out the pictures on the KUSU Volunteering Facebook page.

Kingston students and London students also took part in six other volunteering projects across the capital, making friends, helping others and boosting their CVs. More details on these projects can be found on the LSVF website.

Missed out on LSVF? Don’t worry, KUSU Volunteering can help your enjoy volunteering opportunities all year round - have a look at the KUSU Volunteering website. We’ve also got National Student Volunteering Week coming up at the beginning of February, so keep your eyes open for that too!

Best wishes,

Jemma Houghton and Alex Britton

KUSU Volunteer Coordinators

Music raises Money for Momentum!

KUSU Volunteer Erika

Hi my name is Erika and I am a first year Radiography student at Kingston University. Two weeks ago (29^th of October 2012 to be exact!) I helped out at the Momentum Opera Evening, (Momentum is a charity supporting children with cancer and life-limiting conditions) which took place in Teddington. It was a One-Off Volunteering opportunity, with a wide range of volunteering roles available, such as helping on the bar, allocating seats etc. I helped out by selling raffle tickets and programmes for the opera evening and I absolutely loved it! Whilst I was there I got to see amazing performances (by opera singers and a boy choir that sang in a Glee style!) and alongside the other volunteers, I helped to make the evening a success! I signed up to volunteer because I had some free time available. If you have any free time then give volunteering a go! You meet new people and you’ll always have something in common with the other volunteers – the thing which made you want to volunteer in the first place!