Appeal for more volunteers as new city-wide scheme launches

Volunteer Team Leeds is the brand-new scheme bringing together and inviting new people to join the vibrant volunteering community that supports Leeds City Council affiliated events and initiatives.

From the stunning displays of Light Night and the cinematic experiences of the Leeds International Film Festival, to enriching opportunities within libraries and vital volunteer befriending schemes, Volunteer Team Leeds offers a diverse range of ways to contribute.

Building on the legacy of LEEDS2023, where over 1,800 volunteers signed up to support the city’s year of culture, the scheme aims to retain and grow this valuable community through a new simple, user-friendly, volunteer orientated system.

Previously working as a postman, Bill Hargreaves’ favourite part of his job was being able to help people. During lockdown he would even help residents by posting letters for them.

Having retired three years ago, he now spends most of his time volunteering and is a regular volunteer at most Leeds City Council events, such as Light Night and the Leeds International Piano Competition.

“When I retired, I felt like there was no reason to stop being helpful just because I don’t get paid for it. I was worried there would be a void after retirement but I’ve made sure to fill that with volunteering,” Bill says.

“There’s no way I was ever going to be someone who sits in front of the TV when I retired. I’m just having so much fun now,” he adds.

Like Bill, many people decide to volunteer because they enjoy it, but there are many other benefits that can come with it.

Khara Linton-Salmon has volunteered at film festivals across the country, but it was at Leeds Film Festival she made connections to build a career in film. In 2024, she worked as a programmer for the festival in the short film category.

"I felt like I could speak to people that were higher up than me, and they gave me good advice, they actually wanted to help me progress," she explains. 

"The main reason why I wanted to volunteer was just because I love film. It wasn’t until I decided to volunteer at Leeds that the snowball started rolling. Leeds gave me more of an opening to making it a career. 

“Anybody that loves film I’m always telling them to do it. Not even for a career path but just because it’s fun. You go in with your passion and you meet 50 other people with the same passion," she says.

With the launch of Volunteer Team Leeds comes a new platform which will be a one-stop-shop for people to create a profile and sign up to volunteer with different services or events either organised or supported by Leeds City Council. Volunteers will also be able to access learning and development tools.

To date there are close to 2,000 volunteers already signed up.

Councillor Mary Harland, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, and champion for volunteering, said:

“We believe volunteers are at the heart of our city. From the pitch to the streets, and across our communities, our city is full of passion for helping out and giving back. With Volunteer Team Leeds we’re hoping to get even more people signing up to share skills, meet people and learn new things. As a key part of our city’s Volunteering Strategy, we want Leeds to be a city that is the best to volunteer in and that celebrates volunteering in all its forms, where it’s easy for people to find ways to make a difference and get involved.

“We encourage all residents of Leeds to create a profile on the new platform and join the growing community of volunteers making a brilliant positive impact through council-supported initiatives across the city.”

Volunteer Team Leeds is funded through central government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is administered locally by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Read more about Volunteer Team Leeds and sign up at www.volunteerteamleeds.co.uk.

ENDS