Trinity Students Take Part in Give It A Swirl – The National Day of Volunteering

Posted on: 02 October 2009

Twenty five Trinity students picked up paintbrushes, donned gardening gloves and reached out into local communities as part of Give it a Swirl, a national volunteering day on Friday, September 25th last.  The event, which aims to encourage people to donate their time and skills for a few hours, concentrates on hands on involvement in the community.

Working alongside the local community, school children, professional painters and graffiti artists, Trinity students assisted with the refurbishment of the Lawrence Redmond Community Centre in Drimnagh.  Due to their work the newly revamped centre, which has been vacant for over twenty years, is set to open in the near future and will provide computer facilities, children’s activities and office space for community organisations and counselling services.

Trinity student volunteers with a representative from Volunteer Centres Ireland (left) help paint the Lawrence Redmond Community Centre in Drimnagh.

A second team of students went to Odin’s Wood Day Care Centre in Finglas which caters for local people aged 67 to 97.  Making the most of the sunshine the group weeded, planted, mowed and tidied the Centre’s gardens with the help of volunteers from the local community.  Unique in the area, the Centre provides older people with a range of services which range from personal care to social stimulation.

When reflecting on the day, all student volunteers found it to be a fun and rewarding experience as well as a great way to meet new people.  For more information on upcoming volunteering opportunities contact the College Civic Engagement Officer, Róisín McGrogan by email at mcgrogar@tcd.ie or on ext. 2054.