Let's Give Newsletter

Welcome to the latest edition of the Let's Give newsletter!

Spring is in full swing and, with warmer days on the way, several of our member organisations are now recruiting gardeners to support their community projects. If you’re looking for volunteering opportunities that gets you out in the fresh air, keep reading as we’ve highlighted a few roles below. Over the past few weeks, we’ve also welcomed a steady increase in new faces joining our Let’s Give community and stepping into volunteer positions. With many organisations keen to bring new volunteers on board, we’d like to gently remind you to update your Let’s Give profile so organisations can easily find you based on your availability, interests, and the skills you can offer.

Best wishes,

Kelly Wright
Voluntary Sector and Partnerships Manager

We are excited to announce that we are busy planning our annual conference for volunteers and local charities which will take place on Thursday 9 July at Verso Vineyard Church in St Albans.

We look forward to welcoming volunteers and local voluntary and community groups for a day of informative talks, insightful workshops, and of course, plenty of networking opportunities. Please save the date in your diaries and share it with your fellow volunteers.

Watch out for further information in the coming months!

The James Foundation is looking for a creative and compassionate Social Media Volunteer to support The James Foundation, a baby loss charity. If you have a passion for storytelling, raising awareness, and using social media for good, this is a meaningful opportunity to help us reach and support bereaved families. Your voice online can help ensure no family feels alone.

Abbey View Community Athletics Track is looking for volunteers to support their athletics coaches at St Albans Athletic Club. Sessions are on Tuesdays (6-7pm), Thursdays (6-9pm) and Sundays (10-12) and cater for all events. Younger athletes do a mix of all events in fun, games based sessions and older ones choose their events - Sprints, Middle Distance, High Jump, Long/ Triple, Jump, Javelin, Discus, Shot.

Sustainable St Albans is a charity working to fight the causes and impact of climate change and increase sustainability in the way we live and the systems we exist within. They are looking for people with an interest in events planning to support their SustFest team (who run their sustainability festival every year) and to support events across the year. This role is primarily in St Albans and the surrounding villages e.g. Redbourn.

Let volunteering opportunities find you by creating your own personal profile on Communities 1st’s Let’s Give website!

If you’re interested in volunteering, you can showcase your skills, experience, relevant qualifications, interests, and availability, and we’ll do the rest, matching you with organisations looking for volunteers.

You won’t need to share any personal contact information, as we handle all the brokerage and put you directly in touch with organisations interested in your support.

Join Let’s Give and start making an impact today!

Celtic Harmony Celtic Harmony is an award-winning charity delivering immersive Prehistory and sustainability education since 1998. Based in a reconstructed Iron Age village within Hertfordshire woodland, the charity inspires future generations through connection to nature and heritage. They are looking for gardening volunteers to help with the upkeep of their woodland site by tending to the Spiral Herb Garden and surrounding green spaces. As a Gardening Volunteer, you’ll help maintain a welcoming, peaceful environment for visiting groups.

One YMCA is looking for volunteers to join their Meet and Greet Team. This role will require you to welcome families into the Family Centre in a friendly and professional manner, acting as the first point of contact for visitors. Volunteers will provide clear, age‑appropriate information about the services available, support the creation of publicity materials and information displays, and signpost families to the appropriate staff member for further help. This role plays an important part in helping families feel supported and informed, while upholding safeguarding, confidentiality, and health and safety policies at all times.

The Wood Wardens are a group of local people who help manage the Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve. They meet at 10am on the third Sunday of each month for around 3-4 hours, undertaking a variety of practical tasks including scrub clearance, tree planting and small-scale construction.

St Albans Community Bank (SACB) is looking for members to form part of a small team to review SACB processes and procedures, and suggest recommendations. The Supervisory Committee, on behalf of the Membership, reviews, appraises and reports with recommendations to the Board in accordance with the requirements of regulators and the rules of SACB. This is mainly a virtual role, with an approximate weekly time commitment of half a day, however some weeks there is little input required. The Supervisory Committee needs to prepare a monthly Board update, the quarterly Supervisory report, and attend each SACB monthly Board meeting and annual events such as the AGM.

Could you become a Trustee and help to make a Wilder Hertfordshire and Middlesex?

The need for the Trust to stand up for wildlife is as important as ever, and crucial to this is that they support and look after their staff team. They are looking for a new Trustee to join their Board and would particularly like to hear from people who have experience in: ecology/nature recovery; conservation consultancy; green finance initiatives; or safeguarding.

Are you looking for a trusteeship where your input can make a real difference to a small charity completely reliant on volunteers to deliver its service? Trustees are very hands on in the day to day running of the charity. This role requires attendance at quarterly committee meetings and being available and amenable to discuss issues when they arise outside of these meetings.

We are looking for keen gardeners to volunteer and support local residents with their gardening. If you are passionate about gardening and looking for more ways to spend time in the fresh air, why not sign up as a volunteer gardener? 

Every week, we receive enquiries from people in your local community who need help with the maintenance of their garden. If you would like to help people and give them the chance to spend time in, and enjoy their gardens again, please get in touch.

Communities 1st is looking forward to attending the St Albans Spring Festival on Sunday, 17 May. We will be running the quiet zone tent and supporting the festival team throughout the day, and would like to ask for some help from our amazing volunteers. Tasks will most likely include supervising accessible seating at the stages (and enjoying the show!), and providing support to the public by walking around and offering information to the public. Two shifts are available: 12pm to 3pm, and 3pm to 6pm.

If your availability differs from the shifts shown, but you still want to help us, please let us know.

You can either call 01727649955 or email us@communities1st.org.uk.

We are looking for volunteers to help with calling organisations to complete the 2026 State of the Sector Survey. The survey will allow further insight into the state of the voluntary sector to inform change.

Volunteers will make calls to local organisations and capture their responses using an online form.

This is a flexible role with a variety of hours available over the next two months. A minimum of four hours can be completed over a couple of days, and days can be non- consecutive. 

This role can be done between the hours of 10am-4pm Monday to Friday.

Join us at Farriers Way Community Centre for a gentle journey into poetry and self-expression.

Discover how words feel and sound as writer Penny Black from the Royal Literary Fund guides you through short, themed poems.

You will also have the chance to discuss different perspectives, try simple writing prompts, and build your confidence in a fun, relaxed group.

You don’t need any writing or reading experience, just come along!

Join us on Tuesdays 21, 28 April & 5 May from 10.30 am to 12 noon at Farriers Way Community Centre, WD6 2TB