What a difference a day makes

Sheffield Volunteering has an incredible 24 hours planned for Friday 15 February to celebrate the culmination of National Student Volunteer Week. Beginning at noon, One Day, Big Difference will see dozens of volunteers descend on all corners of Sheffield and the surrounding areas, hoping to give something back.

The organising committee hope that there will be something for everyone, with an incredibly wide array of activities. These will range from old fashioned fundraising, in the form of a Bag Packing Bonanza at the Meadowhall Marks and Spencer, to more hands-on projects that involve digging in community allotments in Sheffield, or painting a children’s centre in Barnsley. Over the course of the 24 hours, there will be a time and a location that suits everybody’s schedule.

Alice Wright, Volunteer Coordinator in the Students’ Union, said: “The idea of this event is to show what kind of a difference one person can make, and just how much can be achieved in 24 hours. We’re hoping that with this taster we can raise people’s awareness as to the things people can get involved with in and around Sheffield.”

Societies from the University will also be getting involved; the Sheffield University Cycling Club are attempting to burn off a family of four’s recommended calorie intake – 8210 calories – over the course of the 24 hours, in aid of the Jubilee Food Bank, a local charity which provides short-term emergency food supplies to local families.

If you would like to take part in one of the activities, or you would like more information, you can visit the One Day, Big Difference page here. You can also follow Sheffield Volunteering on Twitter and Facebook.