Food and Fun was introduced by the Council as a pilot to deliver free meals and activities to children in key areas of Aberdeen during school holiday periods and has been rolled out on a permanent basis. Over Christmas, as an extension of the project, special events were hosted for young people to enjoy the festivities – from ice skating and crafts to a disco and visit to Santa. For everyone involved in Food and Fun there’s a busy period ahead. The main aim is to ensure children continue to be fed, recognising the importance of school meals during term time for a large number of families, and also to provide the opportunity to take part in physical activity in a nurturing environment. The initiative has been recognised with awards – but the reward and motivation for the many people who have put their heart and soul into developing the programme is in the positive impact there is on children, families and communities. When we talk about our purpose – about caring for our city and our people – we think Food and Fun is a shining example that we can all be incredibly proud of. Many participants obtain great life skills which has assisted them in securing other opportunities as well as the personal development and satisfaction that this also brings. All help makes a difference and is greatly appreciated. To volunteer / for more information please contact Martin Smith, Locality Inclusion Manager at E Mail: martinsmith@aberdeencity.gov.uk or Tel.: 01224 788538.

No matter how good our services are, we can't properly support our community well if we don't have good Support people in the team. If this sounds like you?... we would love you to consider volunteering with us for a few hours per week. Bellsmyre Development Trust exists to support the residents of Bellsmyre towards engaging with, participating in and developing their local neighbourhood. We believe Bellsmyre is full of great people and great potential. We aim to bring residents and opportunities together Looking for someone to assist at our busy Parent, Baby and Toddler Group, we would like a volunteer who is able to set up the toys at the beginning of the session and ensure that the toys are cleaned and put away after the session has finished, make snack for the babies and toddlers whilst they are with us and be able to communicate with both the children and the parents when they arrive and throughout the session. Role is available on a Monday 9.30-12pm & 12-2.30pm & Thursday 9.30-12- 12.30-3.00pm

We believe every child and young person deserves the same opportunity to succeed and so we provide free, immersive, instrumental music tuition to pupils and pre-school children. This leads to an enhanced ability to learn in school, improvements in emotional wellbeing, confidence and esteem, as well as the acquisition of a range of social and life skills. To achieve this, volunteers are vital for our Big Noise Centre in Torry. As a Big Noise volunteer, you'll be helping us transform children's lives through music. You don't need to have any musical experience, just a passion for making a difference to the lives of young people. Volunteers help in a variety of valuable ways, including: • Helping children stay focused and engaged during music lessons • Walk children from school to the Big Noise Centre • Helping set up for rehearsals and music lessons and assisting the children and young people to play their instruments if required • Supervise children during snack times, breaks, time-out etc. • and much more... You can become a positive role model in children’s lives and someone they look forward to spending time with. You will benefit from this by receiving training, developing skills in communication and gaining experience of working with children and young people. Big Noise Torry/Sistema Scotland have also achieved the Investing in Volunteers Award-a national quality standard for good practice in involving volunteers as part of our commitment to volunteering and providing excellent support to volunteers. A fantastic opportunity to help with a major charity in Aberdeen and Scotland. All volunteer help is greatly appreciated and makes a real difference. For more details please either: -Visit our website at https://www.makeabignoise.org.uk/volunteering/ and apply online at https://www.makeabignoise.org.uk/volunteering/apply-online/aberdeen/ Or -Contact us at email: torry@sistemascotland.org.uk or telephone: 01786 462923.

Would you like to go on fun adventures, explore and laugh with friends? Are you aged 14+? At Girlguiding we do everything from camping to campaigning! We’re all about girls and young women laughing, learning and having adventures. Why not join the fun? Meetings usually run on weekday evenings after school for about an hour, and you can choose how much or how little you can help out! Youth volunteering with Girlguiding Scotland looks great on a CV, and can improve skills like teamwork, leadership, communication, creativity and IT. It’s great experience if you want a career in youthwork or education, and counts towards your Duke of Edinburgh award. Colleges and universities love seeing volunteering on an application too! There are loads of meetings happening all over East Dunbartonshire, so you can join one close to you. Our volunteers are what makes Girlguiding amazing, and we welcome people of all backgrounds and walks of life. Come have a chat with us, you won’t regret it!