“Week 5 is here and this week is Green Week. A week focusing on environmentally friendly practices on campus. There is a variety of events from volunteering activities to debates. Remember all our volunteering opportunities count towards the RED Award.”

Green Week As it is Green Week, we have some themed volunteer events. Litter Picking: Help clear up campus by taking part in a litter pick. Date: 10th February Time: 12.30pm Place: Meet Outside Palmer

Big Dig at Harris Garden: Take part in some gardening. Date: 11th February Time: 10.00am Place: Harris Gardens Blackout: Help with the campus wide Blackout. To sign up go to the carbon countdown website on the University website. Date: 11th February Time: 10.00am Place: Details on University website

MAD Day This fortnight’s MAD Day is also themed around Green week. We have an exciting opportunity to help create a sculpture using recycled materials to be displayed on campus. Event: Recycled Sculpture Date: 9th February Time: 10.00am-2.00pm Place: Eat@Square at the sofas behind the baguette bar If you are interested in volunteering for this event just turn up on the day.

Ben Cooper Community & Development Officer

Create & Make Join us to make Easter crafts with local children in Reading as part of an Activity day during half term. We will be making cards, masks and bunnies. Date: 17th February Time: 10.00am – 2.30pm Place: Whitley Community Café (South Reading) Email volunteer@reading.ac.uk to sign up to volunteer at this event. You can come along for a part of the event if you cannot make it.

RVA Opportunity of the Fortnight Opportunity: Sports coaching volunteers needed for Reading Athletic Club Task Details: Could you help a qualified athletics coach with our training sessions for athletes age 10 to seniors? Volunteers would help with a group of approximately 12 athletes. Events coached range from:

Sprints, hurdles, middle-long distance running

throwing events (shot, discus, hammer and javelin)

jumps (high jump, long jump, pole vault).

Tasks are varied and would include, setting up equipment, supervising athletes, timing events, measuring etc. Coach helpers can go on to take coaching courses with a view to becoming a qualified coach. Our Adviser James says, “If you are interested in athletics whether it be as an observer or participant this is a great volunteering opportunity. An added advantage is that it is in the evening and it can lead to coaching qualifications. Could be useful for anyone on a teaching course”

AWARDS ARE OPEN Nominations for the Volunteering Awards are open and close on the 17th February. There are a variety of awards on offer for volunteering. You can nominate yourself or someone else through the RUSU website: www.rusu.co.uk/activityawards

Newsletter 9, Spring Term 2016 - Week 5

University of Monsters

The next University of Monsters planning session is the 10th February|3pm-5pm|in Student Activities. No need to sign up just come along to help plan activities for the next visit. Register interest in helping out with the project at volunteer@reading.ac.uk

Home Care Volunteers Home Care Volunteers are a new project that will be working with the elderly in local residents home. They will be taking over our Talk for Ages Session and offering a different activity each week. Their next session is: Date: 17th February Time: 10.45am-12.45pm

Be in a Video The Colostomy Association are looking for a student who is up for being the participant in a video to raise awareness of life with a stoma. We will be following them around for the day with them wearing a stoma bag as well as giving them a few challenges to emulate issues of people with a colostomy. We will be filming them for 1-2 days. If you are interested then email Niall.Norbury@colostomyassociation.org.uk

Plant a Community Orchard A local group has fundraised to create a community orchard in Lower Earley and would like some student volunteers to help with the planting. This will take place on Saturday 13 Feb to plant fruit trees between 11.00–13.00. Email communityprojects@reading.ac.uk to sign up. Bag Packing Volunteering on 20th and 21st February. Email to find out more. As always, any questions about volunteering can be sent to volunteer@reading.ac.uk