Getting started

From helping to shape the future of Highbury as a Trustee, to caring for its beautiful gardens or bringing its fascinating history to life for visitors, there are many different ways to volunteer with Chamberlain Highbury Trust. We hear from three volunteers about what brought them to Highbury, what they enjoy about their roles and why they would encourage others to get involved. Charlotte Askew - Trustee (Left hand picture) Tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to volunteering at Highbury? I am the youngest Trustee at CHT and have been involved with the Trust for just over a year. Although I am now based in London, I make every effort to attend events whenever I’m back home in Birmingham. Having grown up in a neighbouring area, I would often visited Highbury, so when the opportunity arose to join the Trust, I leapt at the chance! Highbury is a real treasure in the city, and I feel incredibly privileged to play a part in preserving and promoting it. I love how accessible the house and park are to everyone, and there’s nothing better than taking a stroll through the gardens in spring and summer when the rhododendrons are in bloom. Whether you’re relaxing by the water or exploring the grounds, it’s a place that belongs to the people of Birmingham - which is a very unique thing. Being able to help preserve its beauty and history is something I’m incredibly proud of. What do you enjoy most about volunteering at Highbury? What I enjoy most is volunteering alongside like-minded people who care deeply about the future of this historic building. Everyone is united by a shared passion for preserving Highbury and ensuring it continues to thrive as a beacon for the community. It’s incredibly rewarding to work together towards that common goal. What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering with the Trust? Absolutely do it! It’s a rare opportunity to contribute to the story of a remarkable house that is so deeply rooted in Birmingham’s history. Highbury is living history, and there’s something truly special about helping to safeguard it for future generations while sharing it with visitors today. It’s also a great way to meet people who share a passion for Birmingham’s heritage. Ian McCallum – Garden Volunteer (Middle picture) Tell us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to volunteering at Highbury When I retired from child mental health nursing I joined several volunteering groups, and one of these was the Highbury Orchard, a lovely, serene space that is a real community project. Through this I learned of the garden volunteers, and I was keen to explore this, as I love the park, and was in need of something a bit more physical. At the time the leader of volunteers, Alan had been cast adrift in the Canadian wilderness (how careless of him!}, but luckily, he survived and resumed his stimulating and fun leadership of the group. What do you enjoy most about volunteering at Highbury The trees and woodland are so beautiful, and it is rewarding to feel I play a small part in maintaining them. The group of men and women are fun to be with and very sociable. As you can see, the coffee break is an integral part of the morning, which allows us to put the world to rights. I have learned a lot from Alan's expertise, and now also from Head Gardener Lucy. The work is varied but much of it involves maintaing the diversity of trees, by removing or pruning ones in the wrong place, to improve the views in the park, but also plenty of weeding, and general maintenance like drainage gully clearing. I feel it does make a difference. It is informal and people are able to contribute according to their interests and commitments. For those who prefer gardening to the more physical work, Lucy now leads horticulture groups in the park. I look forward to the group every Monday, and come back tired but uplifted. What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering with the Trust? All the group leaders are accessible and helpful, so talk to them, and come along to try out a group if you are interested. You can do this without committing yourself. I am yet to meet anyone who has regretted joining the group. Janice Bridger – Tour Guide (Right hand picture) How long have you been volunteering with the Trust? I trained with the first group of guides about 6 years ago but we had a long break during the pandemic. Tell us a bit about yourself and what first attracted you to volunteering at Highbury I knew the house after attending retirement meals there when I worked nearby as a teacher. However I knew none of the history and when I came and looked around I was fascinated how the garden seemed to link with the house. Seeing the stained glass and other natural designs made me want to find out more and tell other people about it. What do you enjoy most about volunteering at Highbury? Every time I do a session I meet different people with interesting ideas about history/architecture and it’s great that it goes in both directions- we both learn from each other! What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering with the Trust? Do it!! You will meet lots of fascinating people, and build your confidence too. What is the Chamberlain Highbury Trust? The Chamberlain Highbury Trust (registered charity no: 1169845) is dedicated to preserving and restoring Highbury Hall and its grounds, and ensuring that its history and cultural significance are shared. www.highburyhallandpark.co.uk Find out about current opportunities to volunteer at the Trust

Kind-hearted nan calls for Birmingham residents to help provide community meals helping tackle hunger and loneliness - as charity FoodCycle launches appeals for summer volunteers

How one volunteer came to volunteering for Age Connects West Midlands through a chance meeting with the volunteer manager. Over the past few years she has befriended many isolated people and will continue to do so.

Volunteer, Chris, tells his story about how he came to volunteer with Age Connects West Midlands after retirement.

As we head towards Volunteers Week, Michelle Bailey , Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Schoolreaders shares what their volunteers are doing across Birmingham and what a difference they are making to the lives of local children. Schoolreaders is a national charity but one that works closely with schools across Birmingham, supporting children with their reading through visits to school from our local volunteers. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you involve volunteers I started working at Schoolreaders at the end of 2023 when we had just started reaching out to schools in the West Midlands, prior to that I had been a primary school teacher for over 20 years, so I know what a difference a little extra support in schools can make. Joining Schoolreaders meant that I was still working around schools and supporting reading, which has always been something that I have enjoyed, from being read to as a child, teaching children to read and then reading with my own children. What is my role at Schoolreaders? My main focus is recruiting new Schoolreaders volunteers. Each day brings something different, from reaching out to local community groups and media outlets to hosting talks for local organisations, to coordinating with schools across my region. It’s a mix of creativity, persistence, and a lot of communication! Social media is also a big part of my outreach. Local Facebook groups, for example, are a great way to connect with potential volunteers in specific areas. I also deliver talks to local groups like the Women’s Institute (WI), Rotary, and the University of the Third Age (U3A) to share more about Schoolreaders and the difference our volunteers make. In addition to volunteer recruitment, I also work with primary schools across the West Midlands to encourage them to become Schoolreaders partner schools. Every new placement involves careful planning and support from our small national team, and it’s thanks to that infrastructure that volunteers can step into schools smoothly and start making a difference. Who is the ideal volunteer for Schoolreaders? Our volunteers come from all walks of life. Some come to us with prior experience of education, whether that is having been a teacher, teaching assistant, school governor or university lecturer, but we also have a huge number of volunteers who do not have any experience of schools other than having attended one as a child! As long as our volunteers love reading and want to share this with children and inspire them to become readers themselves, they make great volunteers. What difference to volunteer make? Our volunteers are at the centre of our charity. They are the ones who commit to going into school every week, giving up their time to listen to children read, helping the children to develop their reading and comprehension skills and encouraging the children to engage with books. These weekly sessions have been proven to make a difference to the children’s reading skills but also to their enthusiasm for reading, which will have life long benefits. What do volunteers say about their experience with Schoolreaders? Our volunteers say they enjoy their weekly sessions as much as the children, albeit in a different way. Seeing the children’s enthusiasm for reading grow alongside the progress that they make week on week helps the volunteers to see the value in the support they are giving. “One of my children was very reluctant to read with me at the start of the school year. However, we have made our sessions fun and interesting which has improved his attitude and brought out his innate ability”. “I’m not able to give a lot of time, and have to say I did wonder at the start if I was really helping at all. But at the end of the first term, a Year 5 boy I’d been reading with got his book, turned to the last chapter and told me he’d been waiting for me to come in so he could finish his book - he’d been saving the last chapter all week to read with me! After that, I knew that even the 10 minutes I spent once a week with the children had an impact”. And finally, what do the children our volunteers work with say about their Schoolreader? “My Schoolreader helps me correct the words that I've misread. She's always very kind in the way she does it. " “She always has time for me” “Mr H is very understanding. If you get something wrong in reading, he corrects you in a kind way. He doesn't just tell you an answer, he helps you to work it out”. “We like to read with S, she helps us get better at reading our books” Recruitment is an ongoing process and applications can be made through our website: https://www.schoolreaders.org/volunteer-application-form All Schoolreaders volunteers must be over 18, have good written and spoken English and be able to commit to visiting their matched school for an hour or two each week for at least a year, although holidays and appointments can be taken during this time. Call: 01234 924111 Email: admin@schoolreaders.org Visit: https://www.schoolreaders.org/

According to survey statistics, Birmngham has a higher-than-average number of people who say they feel lonely. Loneliness and isolation can affect anyone, but it’s particularly common among older adults. Across Birmingham, charities and volunteers are working hard to change that, offering befriending services both in person and over the phone. One of those charities is Re-engage, which helps older people build vital social connections as their circles shrink in older age.