The 10 best volunteering opportunities in London where you can make a difference
Part of what makes living in this world worthwhile is being able to give back to the community by helping those in need. As a volunteer myself, there’s something about the spark of hope in people’s eyes or a dog’s bark that makes me feel like I should be doing more.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re a student or a professional seeking experience, or even a retiree looking for meaningful work to do in your free time. As long as you have the willingness and the heart to act, these volunteering opportunities in London await you.
From community projects to environmental work and animal welfare, various platforms, centers, and organizations across the city welcome volunteers like you. So, why not set aside some time and get involved in a cause that inspires you?
Media credit: reachvolunteering
Website: https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/
Address: 7 Bell Yard
Contact details: +44 20 3925 7721
Operating hours: Monday to Friday – 9 AM – 5 PM
Reach Volunteering is a platform that connects volunteers with charities and non-profit organizations in need of support. Since they focus on trusteeship and skills-based volunteering, you’ll be placed in trustee roles or other skilled positions—but it depends on what you apply for.
If you apply for a volunteer role, you’ll be sharing your professional skills in areas such as HR, digital, or finance. As for being a trustee, you’ll be the Chief Executive’s right hand in overseeing the charity and its assets.
Either way, through Reach, you’ll be working alongside civil society organizations. Among those are The Sleep Charity, which raises awareness about the importance of good sleep, and Hospice Hope, which provides respite care for people with life-limiting illnesses.
Pro tip:
Register to be a volunteer here. But before applying for a role, take the time to refine your profile and highlight relevant skills and experience to increase your chances of securing a meaningful volunteering opportunity.
Meanwhile, a Trustee role is a great addition to your CV, providing valuable experience in strategy and leadership. To learn more about Reach Volunteering’s trusteeship, visit this page.
2. Join Time to Help (UK)
Media credit: timetohelpuk
Website: https://timetohelp.org.uk/
Address: 6th Floor, Alliance House, 29-30 High Holborn
Contact details: +44 20 3239 1111
Operating hours: Monday to Friday – 10 AM – 6 PM
A registered charity, Time to Help UK has done everything from coordinating efforts at their London-based office to traveling to remote regions to extend help. Volunteers, yourself included, are the backbone of their charitable initiatives.
If you join Time to Help, you’ll be actively participating in various projects that address the needs of vulnerable individuals and communities. Some examples include orphan care, food distributions, clothing donations, and cataract operations.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is currently their leading project, which teaches English to refugees in the UK. They also deploy volunteers to areas in East Africa, Pakistan, Yemen, and more, giving first-hand experience in humanitarian work.
Pro tip:
Step out of your comfort zone and try one of their volunteer trips here, where you can provide relief and assistance across different countries. For remote volunteering, you can be an online tutor for ESOL or carry out administrative tasks.
3. Lend a hand with Do-It
Media credit: doituk
Website: https://www.doit.life/
Address: Studio 2, Neckinger Mills, 162-164 Abbey St
Contact details: [email protected]
By signing up for a free account at Do-It, you can find a way to lend a hand with London’s best-loved charities or inspiring community groups in your area. As the UK’s largest volunteering database, they have thousands of worthy causes for you to explore.
With their user-friendly platform, you can easily search and apply for roles based on location, interest, or activity. For example, if you’re a student living in Camden with a passion for the environment, you’ll find local conservation projects ready for you to join.
Their one-off events and long-term roles suit different interests and schedules, too. You can start your mornings tutoring children from low-income backgrounds and spend your afternoons engaging the elderly in creative activities.
Pro tip:
Sign up here to find a role or charity that matches your passion. Once you’ve created your account, check in regularly for new alerts and opportunities so you never miss one that suits you best.
4. Connect with charities through HandsOn London
Media credit: smartgrouphq
Website: https://www.handsonlondon.org.uk/volunteer
Address: 85-87 Bayham Street
Contact details: [email protected]
HandsOn London lets you browse a range of volunteering opportunities, sorted by type, location, and commitment level. This makes it easy for those with busy schedules to locate the flexible one-off activities they can participate in.
At HandsOn, you can join WrapUp London to distribute donated coats, keeping thousands of Londoners warm in winter. Or take part in BrightenUp London, which improves London’s green spaces and supports bees through its Bee the Change campaign.
You can even get the whole family involved in the Family Volunteering Club. As for art lovers and bookworms, Artbox London helps disabled and autistic adults showcase their artwork, while Doorstep Library brings the joy of reading to the homes of families in need.
Pro tip:
For a more relaxed start as a first-time volunteer, try a weekday shift. Weekends are busier and more fast-paced, but don’t worry—your team leaders and experienced volunteers will be present and always happy to help!
5. Be a student volunteer at LSE Volunteer Centre
Media credit: lsevolunteering
Website: https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/volunteer-centre
Address: Houghton St
Contact details: +44 (0)20 7405 7686
Operating hours: Monday to Friday – 10 AM – 4 PM
You might be a current or incoming student at LSE (London School of Economics) who has found your way here. If so, LSE has a Volunteer Centre that organizes numerous volunteering events throughout the year for you to join.
From food charities and amnesty student groups to peer support programs and student-led projects, these volunteering opportunities aim to make your LSE experience more meaningful. Moreover, they fall into three categories: one-off, ongoing, and overseas.
With one-off volunteering, you’ll commit just a few hours or a day to activities like painting, gardening, or transcribing. Ongoing and overseas opportunities, however, can last from a few months to two years and often include training and fundraising.
Pro tip:
Book a 15-minute one-on-one session with the Volunteer Centre Manager (at least 30 days in advance) to get advice on how to make the most of your volunteering. Here, you can discuss where to look for opportunities and even how to set up your own volunteering project.
On the other hand, the LSE Volunteer Centre primarily serves LSE students. So if you’re not affiliated with the school but are interested in volunteering, it’s best to contact them directly about potential opportunities or partnerships.
6. Serve free meals with Soup Kitchen London
Media credit: soupkitchenlondon
Website: https://soupkitchenlondon.org/
Address: 79A Tottenham Ct Rd
Contact details: +44 20 7580 2791
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday
- Morning sessions – 9 AM – 1 PM
- Evening sessions – 5 PM – 7:30 PM
Since 1986, Soup Kitchen London has supported the homeless, elderly, and vulnerable individuals in the city. Each day, they serve free meals to 200 guests, ensuring they don’t go hungry—even if they must return to the streets.
Their Homeless Christmas Dinners are highly anticipated, where they bring people together to enjoy a warm meal and companionship during the holiday season. As a volunteer, your tasks in the kitchen are to chop fruits and vegetables, cook, prepare drinks, and then serve guests.
Beyond food, Soup Kitchen has a mental health drop-in clinic, a safe space for the homeless to speak with psychologists and therapists about their struggles. Open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, the clinic welcomes anyone in need of support.
Pro tip:
You must be at least 18 years old to complete the registration form here as an individual volunteer. Don’t forget to upload a copy of your current DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) certificate, as they require a basic check.
Keep in mind that the approval process sometimes takes up to 12 weeks due to the high volume of applications they receive. But once you get approved, you’ll gain access to their online volunteer rota, where you can sign up for days that fit your schedule.
7. Observe elections with Democracy Volunteers
Media credit: democracy_volunteers
Website: https://democracyvolunteers.org/
Address: 8 Duncannon St
Contact details: +44 330 133 3905
Operating hours: Monday to Friday – 9 AM – 5 PM
Democracy Volunteers get a front-row seat to UK elections, observing the process and interviewing election officials, candidates, or voters. They then compile an evidence-based report, presenting findings through data analysis.
With their strong methodology, registering means you are agreeing to commit approximately 25 hours of your time. This includes a brief interview followed by around six hours of online training, a pre-deployment briefing, and then your actual work on polling day.
The work at Democracy Volunteers is all in the hopes of improving the quality of democratic elections for the voters’ benefit. That’s why you’ll be expected to maintain strict impartiality and abide by international standards for election observation.
Pro tip:
You don’t need any formal qualifications to participate in election observation, but you’re required to submit a CV so they can learn about your prior experiences. Plus, you get to pick which electoral events you wish to observe—the sign-up form is here.
8. Sign up for Volunteering Barnet
Media credit: mutualaidbarnet
Website: https://volunteeringbarnet.org.uk/
Address: 18-21 Morley St
Contact details: +44 300 365 9960
Operating hours: Monday to Friday – 10 AM – 4 PM
Volunteering Barnet redirects you to charities and organizations where your skills can make a real impact. Upon registration in their online database, you can browse and apply for volunteer roles, filtering by your preferences.
Their Youth Volunteering also provides opportunities for those aged 14 and up. Teens can become BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) Citizen Scientists, collecting data about birds, or Regional Reps for Another Way, a youth-led environmental education charity.
If you’re a parent looking to introduce your child to charity work, Volunteering Barnet has plenty to offer. Kids can help out in charity shops, libraries, and holiday activities—all designed to fit around their school schedules.
Pro tip:
Check the volunteer database regularly, as new roles are added frequently. Meanwhile, you can register using this page and find volunteering projects for those under the age of 18 here.
9. Make new friends at Volunteer Centre Hackney (VCH)
Media credit: volunteerhackney
Website: https://vchackney.org/
Address: Unit 13, Springfield House, 5 Tyssen St
Contact details: +44 20 7241 4443
Operating hours: Monday to Friday – 10 AM – 5 PM
Volunteer Centre Hackney (VCH) has many services you can support—and that will support you in return. First is the Step Up service, VCH’s way of caring for volunteers (like you) through tailored coaching and well-being workshops.
Second is Together Better, which empowers you to lead free activities every week at GP (General Practitioner) surgeries. You’ll get to connect with patients in art sessions, coffee mornings, and fitness exercises.
Lastly, you can make friends by being a Community Befriender. In just an hour a week, you can help fight loneliness by supporting isolated adults in Hackney (in person or over the phone), with VCH matching you with the right person based on your interests, schedule, and language.
Pro tip:
Scroll down this page to find Together Better activities near you. If you’re a volunteer facing mental health challenges, consider the Step Up service—it’s a great way to boost self-worth and confidence.
10. Tend to rescue animals at Mayhew
Media credit: themayhew
Website: https://themayhew.org/
Address: Trenmar Gardens
Contact details: +44 20 8962 8000
Operating hours: Monday to Friday – 9 AM – 5 PM
Mayhew is an animal welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of dogs, cats, and their caregivers. Volunteers help deliver pet food, supplies, and care packages to food banks, supporting pet owners in need.
Not only that, you’ll also play a role in their Pet Refuge Program, which provides temporary shelter and care for pets of owners in crisis. This support lasts up to three months, helping pet owners who are hospitalized or in rehabilitation.
The year 2023 was a milestone for Mayhew, with remarkable achievements in animal welfare. They rehomed 50 dogs and 367 cats, vaccinated 19,865 animals against rabies overseas, reunited 42 pets with their owners, and more—this is the kind of work you’ll get involved in!
Pro tip:
If you have a dog, you can volunteer with TheraPaws, bringing comfort to people in hospitals, mental health centers, care homes, and hospices. Learn more by reading the role profile here and applying!
Comparison of London volunteering opportunities
| Organization | Primary focus | Contact details |
| Reach Volunteering | Trusteeship, skills-based volunteering, civil society organizations | +44 20 3925 7721; [email protected] |
| Time to Help (UK) | Refugee support, homeless appeals, community-driven initiatives | +44 20 3239 1111; [email protected] |
| Do-It | National charities, community groups | [email protected] |
| HandsOn London | Coat donations, environmental work, family-friendly projects | +44 7586 853 107;[email protected] |
| LSE Volunteer Centre | Food charities, LSE student-led projects, overseas volunteering | +44 (0)20 7405 7686 |
| Soup Kitchen London | Meals for the homeless, mental health support, clothing distribution | +44 20 7580 2791;[email protected] |
| Democracy Volunteers | Electoral events | +44 330 133 3905;[email protected] |
| Volunteering Barnet | Family-friendly activities, youth volunteering | +44 300 365 9960;[email protected] |
| Volunteer Centre Hackney (VCH) | GP surgeries, isolated adults | +44 20 7241 4443; [email protected] |
| Mayhew | Rescue animals | +44 20 8962 8000; [email protected] |