News

Happy Volunteers’ Week 2026! Volunteers’ Week is a special opportunity to recognise and celebrate the incredible contribution our volunteers make across Westminster. Your time, kindness and commitment make a real difference to residents and communities every day, and we are hugely grateful for everything you do.During Volunteers Week (1-7th of June), Westminster Connects volunteers and Community R

We would like to tell you about our new Community Code of Conduct for the Westminster Connects platform.We strive to foster respectful, responsible and inclusive engagement. This Community Code of Conduct sets out what we expect from everyone using the platform and helps create a space where everyone feels safe, valued, heard, and supported. By following these guidelines, you are helping to build

Community Exhibition Lights Up PimlicoWestminster Connects volunteers helped bring creativity and community spirit to life at In a State to Create – The Exhibition, held at Cave in Pimlico on 30 April.Encouragement Through Talking and Arts (a Pimlico-based charity) and Tate Britain, supported by Westminster Connects volunteers, invited residents in South Westminster to explore their thoughts and f

Celebrating Volunteering in Westminster: Highlights from the Community Awards 2026! Westminster City Council had the pleasure of honouring it's remarkable volunteers at this year’s Community Awards 2026. The ceremony took place at Underbelly Boulevard in Soho on 23 March 2026. The evening was a wonderful showcase of the far-reaching impact made by both individual volunteers and voluntary community

Westminster Community Awards 2026It's time to celebrate our community heroesWe need your help to celebrate the incredible individuals who make an impact in our community - in big ways or small. With 12 award categories, we’re honouring volunteers, green champions, neighbourhood centres, art and culture leaders, and so much more.Anybody can nominate, so shine a spotlight on your community hero toda

On the 28th of January, we were absolutely delighted to host our Annual Westminster Connects Volunteer Thank You Event, where we celebrated the outstanding dedication of our active volunteers in the local community. The evening was a heartwarming gathering of volunteers and community partners, providing a fantastic opportunity to connect, share stories, and strengthen the bonds that make our work

Black History Month 2025 – Standing Firm in Power and PrideSix Westminster Connects volunteers assisted at the Westminster Youth Council’s Black History Month event on 30 October at Marylebone Town Hall, helping with front-of-house duties, welcoming guests and stewarding.The event highlighted Black excellence by featuring the achievements of Westminster’s young people, showcasing their talent, lea

Over the past five years, the incredible support of Westminster Connects Volunteers at events across Westminster has made a real difference. We’re so grateful to have you as part of our wonderful volunteering community. However, we want to let you know about some upcoming changes to how we will manage volunteering for events going forward. We understand that change can sometimes be unsettling, but

Appreciation Events - Thank You Westminster Connects VolunteersThis August, Westminster Connects organised two special appreciation events for our active volunteers who have been busy and engaged in the community.At the Tower of London, 22 volunteers had the chance to connect with each other and enjoy an interesting cultural day out. They experienced a fascinating walking tour of the Tower of Lond

This week, Westminster City Hall was transformed into a nature and planting hub in celebration of South Asian Heritage Month 2025. The theme, Roots to Routes, encouraged reflection on South Asian agricultural history and its modern-day connections with young people.The youth mental health charity Ashok's Vision International, which also specializes in climate work, led planting activities with sta

Westminster Connects at Pride in London Westminster Connects provided eight volunteers, stationed in the Piccadilly Grandstand area. Our volunteers worked closely with volunteers from Pride in London to check tickets, look after guests, and support the stands. The volunteers were a friendly and welcoming presence to all visitors throughout the day. The event featured a vibrant parade with five hun

Welcome to our final installment in our series of articles to help you find the ideal volunteer role for you. See our other articles in the series for steps 1-3. You should now be in a good position to identify which roles you may want to apply to! Now is the time to look at the role description and evaluate if the specific tasks are suitable for you. Volunteering can provide opportunities for new

In this series, we have been sharing our top tips for finding the volunteer role that is right for you. Check out our previous articles for step one (identify your goals) and step two (prioritise your interests).Our third step is considering your lifestyle.Volunteering can be really rewarding, but it (usually) requires a level of commitment and effort. This is why it is important that any role you

Now that you have considered your goals (see our previous article for more on this), the second step in findinf the right volunteer role for you is priorisiting your interests. Volunteering in a role with allows to you explore your interests is a great way to enjoy your role and stay motivated. If cooking is a hobby of yours, why not help with cooking for community dinners? If your passion is hist

With so many volunteering roles available, we understand that it can be hard to decide which roles to apply to! If you are not sure where to start, we hope that this series of news articles can help.  The first step is identify your goals. Volunteering is a great way to achieve your goals - whether they are smaller, day to day goals or longer-term life goals. That is why figuring out what you want

To ensure that we provide the best possible training and development opportunities, we need your valuable input. We have created a short survey to gather your feedback on the types of training you would find most beneficial. Your insights will help us tailor our training programs to better meet your needs and enhance your volunteering experience.Please take a few moments to complete the survey and

From Monday the 2nd to Sunday 8th June, people across the country will be celebrating the incredible contributions that volunteers make every day.We couldn’t do the work we do without you! 5 years ago, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – so many of you reached out to us to tell us that you wanted to help, so Westminster Connects was born. You have spent the last 5 years helping to run vaccine

We're excited about the potential of this new platform to connect volunteers with meaningful opportunities in our community. Thank you for your continued dedication and commitment to making a difference. If you have any questions or need assistance with anything, please contact us at [email protected]