Two undergraduates from the Deparment of Geography have been sharing their experiences of volunteering, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mary Baldwin volunteered with a community organisation called Helping Environmental Regeneration in Broomhall (HERB) which works to maintain and improve communal green spaces in the Broomhall area of Sheffield. Mary used her knowledge as an environmental scientist to help rejuvenate an unloved green space and turn it into a haven for wildlife by adding pollinator-friendly plants and accessible water sources.
Being the project leader for a community orientated project was extremely fulfilling and rewarding. The community was involved throughout the project through various update leaflets. At the end of the project we held a community get together to celebrate the completion of the project and do other nature-based activities.
Mary Baldwin
MEnvSci Environmental Science
Read more about Mary's volunteering experience
Amy Swiggs has spent her spare time volunteering for Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care (SCCCC) through their Good Neighbour Scheme. The scheme pairs volunteers with isolated older people for friendship and conversation, and with visits suspended due to coronavirus Amy has used her position as President of Sheffield University Volleyball Club to begin a fundraising campaign for SCCCC.
The volunteering I do is truly a highlight of my week, and forming a friendship with an older person in Sheffield has connected me with the local community and humbled me also. Loneliness is an epidemic across the country, and I hope that the volunteering I do is able to brighten the day of the person I visit.
Amy Swiggs
BSc Geography
