Home-Start Wandsworth are looking for people to join their network of trained volunteers. Home-Start volunteers support families with young children in Wandsworth dealing with a variety of difficulties including; post-natal depression, isolation, physical and mental health problems, bereavement or financial worries.Volunteers work alongside families to give compassionate, non-judgemental, confidential support, tailored to each family. They help families regain their confidence and empower them to build connections with other support services and the wider community to reduce isolation.

If you have parental or any other experience with young children and can spare 2-4 hours every week to visit a family in their home, then they would love to hear from you. You don’t need qualifications – all you need is a willingness to help, empathy, enthusiasm, reliability and a little time.

Find out more: www.homestartwandsworth.org/volunteer

Would you be interested in doing some work? Do you have any business skills? Do you have a nice neat house that would make a nice backdrop in photos?

The reason I ask is that I'm a local artist, in fact a sculptor. I'm doing fairly well (although making enough money is always a challenge) but struggling to do everything I need to do as I have 3 children... and a messy house. I need someone to help me photograph my work in domestic settings, create posts and short videos for social media and blog posts, to try to sell more of my gallery sized work, whilst I work on bigger commissions for schools and universities.

Would that interest you? or anyone else local...

Book clubs in the day sound ace! Can I ask what gym you go to?

I am in the same position. My children take themselves off to school and my husband works long hours. I’ve tried volunteering but found it incredibly frustrating - maybe I chose the wrong charity. I’ve joined a gym targeted at women the same age, it’s the same women in most sessions I go too and is fun and sociable. I like the idea of bridge. There’s also golf and tennis. The Wimbledon Common golf club has lessons for women. We need to make book clubs that meet during the day 🤔

I took up tennis a couple of years ago. I’d never had lessons before and really enjoy it, met lots of lovely ladies with lots in common and free time during the day to play. It’s a win win, exercise and company. Plus you’re learning a skill you can then use with existing friends and play as often as you like. I learned with Mike Francombe at Magdalen Park LTC but there are several tennis clubs locally to choose from. Mike is great, really encouraging and good fun.

Volunteer with a charity

How about learning to play Bridge?

I recommend looking up Kit Jackson who runs gentle introduction classes £10 per session I think upstairs at The Bedford pub in Balham on Monday mornings 1000. Then, once you can play you can join in on Tuesday mornings too. It's very friendly and has a spread of middle aged people and pensioners. There's also half price food downstairs afterwards on Tuesdays if you want a social lunch. I go on Tuesdays and recommend it.

Little Village, a great charity is always looking for volunteers and you can choose any timings that suit you. I’d really recommend giving them a go.

Sorry, long-standing user with total inability to remember username!

How about volunteering somewhere with a nice community of people? Eg a toddler group, Wandsworth Foodbank? Am sure there are loads of great opportunities locally?

Any suggestions for a lonely stay-at-home parent with kids who are in school during the day? My husband works away a lot, so evening events can be tricky to attend. I miss the school run and catching up with people on a daily basis but don't know where to start in looking for something to keep me busy.