Meet the Organisations that attended our Volunteers’ Week Celebration Event and the Volunteers who enable them to provide their services.

Friends of High Park Green Spaces

The Friends of High Park’s Green Spaces is a group of volunteers that help to maintain the three park areas in High Park, Southport. They hold various events such as monthly Love Your Park Days in one of the parks where the fantastic volunteers help to keep it tidy through litter picking, replanting the raised planters in the areas and make the green spaces a place for everyone to enjoy.  

Since the group started the volunteers have made such a difference in helping to make the parks attract more nature and wildlife and bring the community together. 

Litherland Youth and Community Centre

Litherland Youth and Community Centre (LYCC) have been providing activities and services for and with the local community on the current site since 1940. They engage with all members and ages of the community and facilitate activities and services that enable individuals and families to tackle inequalities and issues they may be experiencing in their lives.

Independence Initiative

Independence Initiative run a community pantry , warm hub and community garden. Volunteers ensure the smooth running of these projects helping with stock control, front of house and interacting with  members of the public and staff. They are simply indispensable.

Friends of Victoria Park

Although Friends of Victoria Park have been in existence for a number of years it is only during the last four years that they have become more active as a group and have started to see the difference their efforts are making to Victoria Park, its pavilion and also the Waterloo Community Forest Garden.

They run four volunteering sessions a week, two in the Park and two in the Forest Garden. During the last twelve months, they have also organised several events in the park for the local community which have been very well attended.

Kindfulness Coffee Club

Kindfulness Coffee Club are dedicated to building a community connected by kindness, where acceptance, care, and hope are at the forefront. Their main focus is to improve mental health and wellbeing, offering a variety of groups and services that promote emotional wellbeing and to help reduce isolation and loneliness, while building self-confidence and worth.

Healthwatch Sefton

Healthwatch Sefton is the local health and socail care champion. They have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to residents feedback and improve standards of care. They also help people to find reliable and trustworthy information and advice. Volunteers are vital to supporting the work they do.

Community Connectors

The Community Connectors project works with clients who are at risk of social isolation and loneliness to help connect them to local groups and activities. Community Champion volunteers support in this by carrying out a range of duties from running or assisting at groups, accompanying clients to groups and activities for the first time to delivering Christmas hampers.

Linacre Mission

Volunteers at Linacre Mission host weekly activities which includes a playgroup, welcome space café, community pantry, foodbank and donate food hampers to local primary school to help families who struggle financially during holiday. They also hire out rooms to other Churches, organisations and groups and to families for private functions. All the volunteers are invaluable to Linacre Mission as without them they would not be able to operate , serving the community.

Crisis Cafe

Crisis Cafe are an out of hours mental health drop in service that’s open at the weekend and in the evening when people need them the most. Crisis Café volunteers have been so amazing, giving up their Friday/Saturday and Sunday nights to help run this service and provide support for people who are struggling with their mental health or those in Crisis. All of their volunteers have lived experience with mental health and staff are so grateful for all they do and want to thank them sincerely for giving  their time, commitment and experience.

Galloway’s

Galloway’s is a sight loss charity providing advice and support to anyone affected by sight-loss. They run activities, social groups and information days across Sefton and Lancashire which volunteers support as sighted guides, making brews, introducing newcomers to the group and offering technical help with assistive equipment.

Parkhaven Trust

Parkhaven Trust is an organisation that includes, supports, respects and empowers their service users and staff. They do this by treating all people who use the services with dignity and respect whilst promoting independence, choice and individuality. Volunteers support activities coordinator by assisting with delivering activities,  taking small groups independently, or simply befriending individual residents.

Halle’s Hub

Halle’s Hub was set up by Heather, Halles mum and her family after losing Halle in 2019 to a rare type of meningitis. It is a community hub that supports children and young people in the local community to attend after school activities to help their academic and social development. 

Maghull in Bloom

Since it began in 2007 Maghull in Bloom has attracted a wealth of volunteers whose hard work and dedication (often in inclement weather) has continued to enhance the local environment. The planting and maintenance of the floral displays always prompts favourable feedback and comment from the general public.  They promote well-being and it is significant to remember that we can’t help everyone but everyone can help someone.

Merseyside Congolese Association

The Congolese Association of Merseyside (CAM) is a people’s hub. Since 2004, has provided vital, frontline support that addresses the social needs of the Congolese and wider African French-speaking and Lusophone community in Merseyside by providing services such as advocacy, digital support, community events and education. CAM is a people led organisation – it is managed by people who identify with the issue they tackle.  Their strategy lays on involving  volunteers and project champions throughout the planning and design of projects and programs.  They are, always the main drivers of the activities, which create a stronger ownership and more connected community spirit.

Cat’s Protection

Cat’s Protection is the leading feline animal welfare charity helping cats and kitten across the UK. They have been working across Liverpool and Sefton for several years supporting local communities with cat welfare and this simply wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support, time, effort and energy their volunteers give. Their team of volunteers make a massive difference not only to the cats and kittens that come into their care, but also make a difference across local communities by supporting feral colonies/helping feeders and campaigning on the neutering scheme and so much more.

Volunteer manager, Yvonne said: The Cat’s protection volunteers are the backbone of everything we do at Cats Protection.

Friends of Merrilocks Park

Merrilocks Park is situated at the end of Merrilocks Road, Blundellsands. Thanks to the wonderful volunteers for doing much needed maintenance and development of the park.  The group works with Green Sefton, St Mary’s Prep School, West Lancs Golf Club & other local organisations to bring life back into Merrilocks Park.

If you would like to volunteer with any of the above organisations email our team at info@volunteeringsefton.org.uk or you can search for opportunities here.