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Trailblazing partnership launched to transform volunteering across south east London

06 December 2024 - King’s introduces ‘Volunteering without Barriers’ together with eight local partners

A £550,000 three-year partnership, which aims to bring a pioneering approach to volunteering, has launched at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The ‘Volunteering without Barriers’ programme, funded by NHS Charities Together, aims to provide volunteers with new approaches to recruitment and a broader range of opportunities to make a difference across south east London.

The programme, led by King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, will create a single volunteer register for the region, aiming to provide more people with a wider range of volunteering roles and more flexibility, alongside targeting seldom heard communities. ‘Volunteering without Barriers’ also aims to support people with disabilities, people with caring responsibilities and people from Black and minority ethnic communities who would like to find out more about giving up their time to volunteer.

Eight local partners are supporting the ‘Volunteering without Barriers,’ programme, including:

  • Bexley Voluntary Service Council
  • Greenwich Volunteer Centre
  • Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
  • South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
  • Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
  • Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
  • Community Links Bromley
  • South East London Integrated Care System

The volunteering programme at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been in place since 2011, supporting more than 1,500 people a year to deliver over 70,000 hours of support to its patients and staff.

Tracey Carter, Chief Nurse and Executive Director of Midwifery at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We know that there are some incredible volunteering programmes making a huge difference to people, carers and families across south east London.

“Together with our partner organisations, we will work with our local communities to grow and strengthen support for volunteers, and ensure that people giving up their time are placed where they are most needed, so that everyone has the best healthcare possible.”