Trinity Volunteers Reach Out into the Community for the National Day of Volunteering

Posted on: 05 October 2010

More than thirty students, staff and alumni of Trinity College Dublin reached out into the local community to lend a helping hand with two gardening projects to celebrate the National Day of Volunteering on October 1st last.    The event, which aims to encourage everyone to give volunteering a go, concentrates on hands-on involvement giving volunteers an immediate sense of achievement.

Working alongside second level students from Larkin Community College on Cathal Brugha Street, Trinity volunteers helped plan, dig, weed and prepare the soil of an overgrown plot on the school grounds.  This gave the Trinity volunteers a chance to share information about College life and listen to the students’ ambitions for the future.

Students from Larkin Community College on Cathal Brugha Street work with Trinity volunteers during the National Day of Volunteering.

A second team of students went to Odin’s Wood Day Care Centre in Finglas which caters for local people aged 67 – 97.  This was the second visit of Trinity volunteers to the Centre which provides older people in the community with a range of services from personal care to social stimulation.  Thanking the Trinity volunteers for their hard work Paula Bermingham of the Centre said: “The older people who use the centre were overjoyed to arrive to such an abundance of colour in the garden.”

The National Day of Volunteering initiative has grown year-on-year giving volunteers an opportunity to get involved in one-off local projects.  All volunteers found it to be a rewarding experience and a great way to get to know new people, learn about the local community and have some fun whilst getting practical work done for charities and community organisations in need.  Further information about Trinity’s contribution on the day or how to get involved in future outreach initiatives can be sought from the Civic Engagement Officer, Róisín McGrogan by email at mcgrogar@tcd.ie or on ext. 2054.