Your local community centre needs you!

Community-run centres in Blackburn with Darwen are having a volunteer recruitment drive, so they can restart all their sessions now Covid regulations have eased.

Blackburn with Darwen Council oversees six volunteer-run community centres – including Ivy Street, Greenfield, Mill Hill, Darwen Valley, Little Harwood and Accrington Road.

During the pandemic many sessions had to stop, but as restrictions have eased groups are keen to get back and there are a now number of volunteer roles available.

Four roles are available, including facilities support, centre administrator, group support and cleaning.

Rizwana Zaahid, the Council’s Prevention and Community Assets Manager, said:

We want to restart the activities, but we need volunteers to help make that happen.

The recruitment drive is underway to find volunteers to help run the centres, and also to introduce new groups and activities for people to enjoy.

Rizwana added:

Not only do attendees at sessions learn a new skill, they also enjoy the social aspect of a community setting. Providing a wide schedule of activities provides that social space that people have missed.

We have a really passionate group of people who volunteer. They have a huge sense of pride in making a difference to people’s lives and the knowledge that they are giving something back to the community.

As a result of Covid, some volunteers have not been able to return due to personal circumstances – and we hope more volunteers can come forward.

Rizwana said she wants to attract new volunteers who are interested in supporting their local community centres to develop new activities with their skills and ideas.

Anyone interested can apply via the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership. Candidates will undergo a DBS check and online training, then will be introduced to their chosen centre to meet with the volunteer leads.

Rizwana added:

There are no expectations in terms of hours. You can give what you can – whether that’s a couple of hours a month, or a couple of days a week.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

These centres are the hubs within our communities and help to bring people together – but to do this we need people to donate their time.

Volunteering not only looks great on your CV, it can also help to boost your employability and open doors to new opportunities.

For more information visit www.lancsvp.org.uk/opportunities/ or email lvp@blackburn.gov.uk.