Love being outdoors? Love your local woodland? Join the Mauldslie Woods Volunteering Team. Come along and carry out a variety of practical woodland conservation and management tasks, whilst having fun, learning new skills and meeting new people. The group meet on Mauldslie Bridge in Carluke at 10.15am and the group runs until 3.00pm.

Volunteers will be undertaking a series of conservation tasks including replacing timber steps, woodland management and removal of non-native species. The site is part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve. Volunteers would be helping to manage and conserve the site and it’s habitats for the benefit of the wildlife and for people to enjoy. The volunteers could also learn more about the biodiversity, and opportunities are available to get involved in other projects and programmes with South Lanarkshire Council's Greenspace Team and Clydesdale Community Initiatives. No skills required. Guidance, training and tools talks are given for each task. The group meet once a month (the last Thursday of the month) from 10.30am and finish up at 2.30 pm approx. 2020 dates here: http://www.locator.org.uk/events/chatelherault-environmental-volunteering

This conservation opportunity takes place every other Thursday, predominantly at South Haugh and occasionally at Low Parks, Udston & Glenlee Woods and Westburn. The volunteers will be undertaking a series of conservation tasks including woodland management, removal of invasive plant species, tree thinning, litter picking, path maintenance and much more. Please feel free to come along and join in. Volunteers should dress for the weather, sturdy footwear required. Bring a packed lunch. We’ll supply tea/coffee/biscuits. Contact Melanie Craig, Countryside Ranger on 07795 453 443. Please be aware there are no toilets onsite.

McKillop Gardens is a care home in East Kilbride that provides a service to a maximum of 37 older people with up to two long term places for those over 50yrs. Inclusive are seven places in a separate unit for interim care and short stay breaks for older people with a maximum of two places available for those over 50yrs. We are looking for volunteers to provide meaningful activity to the service users living at McKillop gardens. We would like this to include physical, social and leisure activities that are tailored to the service users’ needs and preferences. The activity can range from activities of daily living such as maintaining appearance- hair washing/styling, nail painting, leisure activities such as reading, gardening, arts and crafts, conversation, and singing. Activities can be structured or spontaneous, for groups or individuals, and may involve family, friends and the care team, or the wider community. Activities should provide physical, emotional, creative, intellectual and spiritual stimulation for the service users. Activities should take place in an environment that is appropriate to the service users’ needs and preferences, which can include using service users’ apartments, communal areas and the local community. Each unit in McKillop gardens benefits of a communal lounge, dining and kitchen areas, cinema room and tearoom. Outdoor spaces include large landscaped gardens, green houses and verandas on the upper level. Engaging service users in activities beyond routine care is an important factor in the life of McKillop gardens. A choice of activities is important for improving a sense of independence, confidence, positive self-image health and wellbeing for our service users. Activities should provide a sense of purpose for our service users. Not all service users want to be involved in a competitive game of cards or bingo, but you will find some that love reading and wants to be involved in a regular book club or enjoy having a book read to them. You will find service users that enjoyed gardening and want to get involved in a care home gardening group or provide individual support to plant plants or flowers. Service users that enjoy cooking or baking should be encouraged to participate in kitchen activities to give them the opportunity to continue to do what they enjoy and love to feel fulfilled. Service users that enjoy going for the newspapers should be encouraged to go out into the local community to collect the daily papers. Other social activities example you may wish to undertake can include: • Card Games • Bingo • Book Club • Gardening • Flower Arranging • Cooking • Painting, Drawing, Art Classes • Board games • Games Nights • Singing Groups • Entertainment Events • Family Days • Dog Days • Exercise Classes • Afternoon Teas • Birthday Celebrations • Quiz Nights • Outings to local attractions • Cinema experience • Relaxation sessions