Bristol BID calls for volunteers to get hands-on this national Volunteers Week

Bristol BID is celebrating Volunteers’ Week by highlighting opportunities for businesses and residents to give back across the city centre.

From cleaning up Bristol’s streets and transforming green spaces to tackling loneliness and supporting major cultural events, Bristol Business Improvement District (BID) is highlighting the wide range of volunteering initiatives taking place across the city this June as part of National Volunteers’ Week (Monday 1 – Sunday 7 June). Businesses and residents alike are encouraged to get involved and make a difference in their local communities.

Throughout the month, those looking for volunteer opportunities can get involved in everything from city-wide litter picks and gardening projects to cultural events and community campaigns, all designed to bring people together through shared work and connection.

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Among the opportunities is Bristol BID’s ongoing Gardening Club at Quaker Burial Ground, where volunteers are helping transform the historic city centre site into a welcoming community green space for reflection, play and connection. Open to seasoned gardeners and complete beginners alike, the relaxed monthly sessions offer a chance to switch off from screens, meet other local businesses and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of spending time outdoors. There is also Pottering in the Park, taking place every Thursday in June in Castle Park, offering relaxed drop-in gardening sessions designed to help people connect with nature and each other.

Meanwhile, businesses keen to get active outdoors can join Bristol BID’s city centre litter pick on Wednesday 3 June, helping to maintain the impact of the Big Broadmead Spring Clean. This year’s Festival of Nature, the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world, also returns from Friday 6 – Sunday 14 June with trees and forests at the heart of the programme, and volunteers can now get involved in the Festival of Nature’s Big Tidy litter pick on Monday 9 June. Participants will work together to help bring the sparkle back to Bristol’s streets, with all equipment provided and routes taking volunteers through key city centre locations.

Supported by Bristol BID, Festival of Nature is recruiting volunteers to help deliver this year’s programme of free events and workshops across the city. Volunteers will support everything from wildlife walks and creative workshops to sustainability talks and urban nature sessions, while gaining hands-on events experience with like-minded, community-driven people. Volunteer roles come with perks such as free travel expenses (up to 10 miles from Bristol), refreshments and the opportunity to attend volunteer socials and networking opportunities during the festival. Those interested must register their interest by 9am on Thursday 21st May.

Later in June, Bristol BID will support activity around Loneliness Awareness Week (Sunday 15 – Saturday 21 June), helping create spaces for conversation and connection across the city centre. Sparks Bristol and John Wesley’s New Room are set to become official ‘Chatty Cafés’ as part of the Marmalade Trust Connection Map initiative, offering welcoming spaces where people can stop for a chat and combat social isolation. Both venues will also act as distribution hubs for Bristol BID’s Cards of Kindness campaign, which encourages people to write thoughtful messages and handmade cards for members of the community experiencing loneliness or isolation.

Alongside BID-led initiatives, Bristol BID is also spotlighting volunteering opportunities taking place across Bristol throughout June, including support for Sparks Bristol International Day and a range of community initiatives through Temple Quarter and Borderlands. Temple Quarter initiatives include website support for Smart Works, food drive support for St Lukes, and delivery support for Period Friendly Places. Borderlands is also seeking support for its work with refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants in Bristol through its welcoming community programmes.

The campaign forms part of Bristol BID’s wider commitment to creating a welcoming, vibrant and well-connected city centre through partnership working, community initiatives and public realm activity.

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Louisa Briggs, Project Manager at Bristol BID said

“There’s already so much incredible volunteering happening across the city centre and Volunteers’ Week is an opportunity to celebrate the people and businesses helping make Bristol a better place to live, work and visit. What’s exciting about these opportunities is that there really is something for everyone. Volunteering is not only hugely valuable for the city, it’s also a great way for businesses and employees to build connections, boost wellbeing and spend time together away from the workplace.”

More information about volunteering opportunities and upcoming initiatives can be found at: https://www.bristolbid.co.uk/projects/volunteers-week/