Whilst overloading on third helpings of Christmas dinner, exchanging overpriced gifts and sipping on fizz, we often forget about those who do not have such luxuries and the impact that this over indulgence can have on our environment.

Now that the New Year is upon us, some of us will reflect upon our shortcomings and decide to make resolutions, from shifting those post Christmas pounds to getting more involved in our local communities by volunteering.

Volunteering is all about donating your spare time, whether it be a couple of hours a week or one day per year, to help others and better our future. With a wide range of volunteering opportunities available, it’s not hard to find a role that suits you.

Following is a short list of charities and organisations that offer volunteer programmes for people looking to invest their spare time and give a little back to the community.

British Red Cross

The British Red Cross is a charity that aims to help people in crisis whoever and wherever they are, by providing first aid and support. The charity offer extensive training ranging from first aid to safeguarding children and prepare volunteers for all emergency response situations. Volunteer opportunities vary from charity shop assistants and refuge project volunteers to fire and emergency responders.

Natasha Black, a third year geography student at Exeter University, volunteers for the Red Cross as a fire and emergency support by responding to emergency situations and offering support to the victims. Natasha has been called out to emergencies ranging from house fires to power cuts, where she cooked food and provided an open ear to the victims. “It’s nice to do something that’s not associated with the university and involves learning about people’s real lives by chatting and supporting them,” she says.

Become a volunteer for the British Red Cross by visiting:

http://www.redcross.org.uk/Get-involved/Volunteer

St John Ambulance

Having taught over 800,000 people first aid last year, St John’s Ambulance are a charity organisation that aims to save lives by educating people in basic first aid.

The organisation offers a variety of volunteering roles from first aid responders to youth leaders. Volunteering as a first aider involves going to training sessions and offering care at public events in your local area.

Crisis

Crisis is a national charity for single homeless people that aims to help change lives and the way society thinks and acts towards them. The charity offers employment, education, healthcare and housing opportunities to the destitute in order to break the cycle of homelessness.

Crisis offers a range of volunteer opportunities and are looking for people with skills ranging from cooking, hairdressing, general healthcare and wellbeing to creative skills like performing, sewing and playing musical instruments.

Charlotte Carter, a third year fashion student at Falmouth University volunteers for Crisis a few days a year over the Christmas period by offering her skills in sewing to help repair clothes for the homeless. “The people really appreciated what we did and it was a good way to use the skills I had to help others,” she says.

Volunteer for Crisis by visiting:

http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/volunteer.html

Greenpeace

Greenpeace is a global independent campaigning organisation that aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and change attitudes and behaviour to protect and conserve the environment. As an independent charity, Greenpeace are not funded by the government or corporations and solely rely on individual donations.

Campaigning against a wide range of environmental issues, from Save the Arctic, a campaign against oil drilling and industrial fishing in the Arctic to Frack-Free, a campaign against fracking, the charity endeavour to spark environmental change through a variety of methods from petitioning to peaceful action activism.

Greenpeace Cornwall have organised a range of public campaigns to raise environmental awareness from peaceful protests to fundraising bake sales. The group meet once a month at The Front pub in Falmouth to discuss current campaigns and upcoming events.

If you’re interested in being more environmentally active, join Greenpeace Cornwall by visiting:

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/cornwall

So if you have some free time on your hands and are interested in volunteer work in your local area, go to:

http://www.do-it.org.uk/