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Students pitch in for year’s biggest volunteering event

Students from the University of Sheffield have been giving something back to the local community for the annual Just Do It event, which took place last weekend (5-6 March 2010).

The event, which saw over 110 people take part in a number of activities across the city, is the University’s biggest volunteering activity of the year and benefits 11 local organisations. In all, this year’s event involved over 594 hours of volunteering.

Just Do It provides a unique opportunity for students to donate a day of their time to make a difference to the community they now live in and encourage more people to take up volunteering.

The event has been promoted across the University’s campus by a team of four students who aimed to encourage as many people as possible to volunteer.

On Friday, members of the University’s Sports Clubs visited Hagg Hill Community Group. They spent their time regenerating old allotments with the group, who help marginalised people learn new skills through horticultural therapy.

Amongst other things, Saturdays activities included re-decorating a number of skills training workshops for the homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded at St Wilfred’s Centre, tackling an overgrown area to help Walkley Community Centre be one step closer to having a garden for their playgroup, planting apple trees at Wortley Hall Walled Garden as part of their organic garden and giving Whirlow Hall Farm’s kitchen-garden a make-over, so that it can be used by children from disadvantaged inner-city areas.

Charlotte Dobson, a Just Do It team member, said:  “Without the volunteers, a lot of the organisations wouldn`t be able to do the tasks. There are a lot of students in Sheffield and it just shows you if you bring them together the local community can really benefit."

Another Just Do It volunteer commented: "At the end of the day I don`t think it`s work- it`s fun."

Tchad Western from the Hagg Hill Community Group, said: "The student groups we`ve had here over the weekend have been the hardest working groups we have ever had."

Stella McHugh, Manager of SheffieldVolunteering, said: “Each year, the Just Do It event enables students to experience the pleasures and rewards of volunteering. By giving just one day of their time, they can have such a positive impact on their local community. I am grateful to all the students who took part, and feel sure their contributions will have a lasting effect to the projects they helped out with.