We’ve been inspired to learn more about the Londoners who volunteer regularly to help others. Read Nicky's story ...

Here at City Hall, we’re looking to learn more about the many Londoners who volunteer on a regular basis, helping friends, neighbours, relatives and their local community, to make a real difference.

We’ve invited some of our Team London Stars to tell their stories on the City Hall Blog.

Lizzie Noel, Advisor for Social Action and Volunteering.

Nicky – Helps kids read

Volunteering is not something I ever considered when I was younger. Now I wonder why I didn’t start sooner.

In 2005 I wanted to change career and by chance came across the MET volunteer programme. I enrolled as a front counter assistant at my local police station to expand my skills in a new environment, but I gained so much more besides.

The satisfaction in helping someone who may be feeling very confused, scared or even agitated is rewarding to say the least. It may be a cliché, but I’ve also met many new people and made some lifelong friends through volunteering.

When I joined the GLA I was pleased to see that they supported volunteering and signed up for the GLA reading scheme. This involves helping children aged 6/7 to read, once a week, and I’m now in my third year.  The children gain confidence as the terms progress and it is very heart-warming to know I helped them progress.

Through volunteering I have a much greater sense of my community and how things that affect other people could quite easily happen to any one of us. Who knows when we might need the help of other volunteers?

As someone told me the other day when we were discussing the reasons for volunteering, ‘It’s just nice to do something for someone else’. I couldn’t agree more.

I cannot recommend volunteering highly enough. It will make a huge difference to others but it will make a big impact on you too.