More than 600 Keele University students collectively donated 24,773 hours of their time within the last academic year to support local causes and help the local community.

The hours were split across support to 23 local organisations, including Catch 22, Lifeworks Staffordshire and Keele Scouts, with students undertaking over 63 different types of volunteering roles.

Keele University Students’ Union marked another year of volunteering activities to coincide with this week’s national Student Volunteering Week. The Students’ Union organised a fun-packed week of events for students, to help them learn new skills, build confidence and boost their employment skills, as well as working with a range of local organisations to showcase potential volunteer placements.

A number of local charities were in attendance throughout the week to deliver training, information and sign up sessions for students, ranging from The Beth Johnson Foundation Caudwell Children, Douglas Macmillan Hospice, Newcastle Foodbank, The Gingerbread Centre and The Greyhound Gap.

Sam Gibbons, Activities and Community Officer, said: “Student Volunteering Week is a great chance for students to try something new and give something back to the community. From experience I know how great volunteering can be to help you learn new skills, meet new people and make an impact both on campus and in the local area.

“We are offer loads of exciting opportunities, from learning how to code, to community gardening and even dog walking. We already have hundreds of students giving thousands of hours to volunteering and this is a week to celebrate all their hard work. But we are always looking for new people to get involved.”

Keele University student Ryan Stanyard, said: “Volunteering has been an essential part of my development whilst at Keele. Not only has it sharpened my skills, but it has allowed me to work with a range of individuals and teams to make a genuine difference.”

To find out more about Student Volunteering Week at Keele University Students’ Union visit https://keelesu.com/news/article/volunteering/Student-Volunteering-Week-2019.