On 5th February a team of six volunteers helped out at Hedgerows Children’s Centre in Netherfield, as part of the Communities Can project. Communities Can is part of a wider MK Council review of Community and Cultural Services. We at Community Action: MK are supporting communities to take ownership of their local services and get involved through volunteering within them.

Tina, the Hedgerows Coordinator, felt that the centre was in need of a lick of paint and some ‘TLC’, but was unable to commit time or priority to this. Creating a volunteering opportunity for a group of people that were willing to commit some time to help out meant that this became one example of how communities can get involved in a small, one off but very useful way and there are many opportunities available where people can get involved in a wide variety of ways. We got people from another local group, the People’s Health Trust steering group, together with willing volunteers from other areas involved in fulfilling the opportunity, and so has also been a great way of connecting people together.

Tina from Hedgerows said “I just wanted to thank [the group] for the decorating, it looks great.”

Paul, from Netherfield, painting at Hedgerows.

Before and After

If you want to find out how you can get involved in volunteering at MK Libraries, Children’s Centres or Youth Services, see all the local current opporunities at www.do-it.org/organisations/community-action-mk or email rebecca@communityactionmk.org to tell her where you’d like to be involved.