29 Feel Good Activities & Volunteering in Bristol

Most of us start the year with intentions to do something good, make a change, get into better habits. So with that in mind, here are some ways you can make a difference on your doorstep.

Feel free to add your own ideas in the comments, or tell us what you’ve been doing to help your neighbours and make Bristol that bit better!

Get outside

• Clean Up Bristol Harbour
  Get out on the boats and help pick up litter from around the harbour.
• Edible Bristol
  Tend the community gardens around the city and get involved with events.
• Windmill Hill City Farm
  Volunteer at the cafe, help with the animals, in the garden or at events.
• St Werburghs City Farm
  Various jobs helping out, from mucking out animals to site maintenance.
• Bristol Zoo
  Tons of options, including a learning ranger, gardener, or volunteer keeper!
• Good Gym
  Go for a group run then do a community project – double feel-good points!
• Park litter picks
  Find a local group, or start your own litter picking posse!
• Community Gardens
  Get green-fingered at a local garden, or pop along to Golden Hillin Horfield, Trinityin Old Market, Patchwork in Bedminster, Blaise or Easton.
• One Tree Per Child
  Plant trees across Bristol and get involved in their latest campaign.

Charity work

There is a multitude of great charities in Bristol, I’ve listed a few below, but you can find additional volunteering opportunities and paid charity work on Voscur, as well as on Do-It.org.

• Julian Trust
  Volunteer at their night shelter, or get involved with fundraising activities.
• Bristol Drugs Project
  I’ve taken part in their youth mentoring project, but you can also lead youth groups and get involved with various other projects.
• Second Step
  Be a mentor or befriender to people with mental health problems, or be part of one of the activity groups run by the chairty.
• The Big Issue
  Do your part at their local distribution centre, and help raise awareness.
• Brandon Trust
  Be a volunteer buddy or appropriate adult, or help out in one of their shops.
• Fareshare
  Distribute food to those who need it most – donate food, fundraise or be a volunteer for their food centres & delivery services.
• Emmaus
  Help provide those in need with furniture & homewares – lots of volunteer roles including driving, bookkeeping, mending furniture and cooking.
• Bristol Bike Project
  Join their workshop team or help run groups & courses for those less privileged in the city.
• Food Cycle
  Get involved in one of their many volunteer projects to reduce food waste & food poverty.
• Contact the Elderly
  Spend time with elderly people who feel lonely or isolated.
• Springboard
  Give young SEN children support by providing skills & fun learning environments.
• The Cinnamon Trust
  They always need volunteer dog walkers and pet sitters for the elderly.

Join a community

• The Cube Cinema
  A volunteer-run community cinema in Stokes Croft with a great programme of events, so you can be an usher, work behind the bar or help with maintenance.
• Helpfulpeeps
  Share your time, skills and knowledge with those who need it near you.
• Neighourhood forums
  Find a variety of local community projects, partnerships & groups on the City Council website.
• Neighbourly
  Handy site for finding & starting projects to collaborate with your neighbours.
• Bristol Pound
  Use our local currency to support independent businesses (they’re also really pretty).
• Street Bank
  Share items with your neighbours, or find out if they have what you need!
• Couchsurfing
  Take part in meet ups & activities, host visitors for free or show them around this lush city of ours!
• Olio
  An app to donate surplus food or use it; you can also volunteer to spread the word about their service, or suggest that your workplace donates any leftovers.

Suspended coffee

This is a quick and cheap way to do something kind – a suspended coffee is when you pay for an extra coffee which can then be given to someone in need who can’t afford one. Here is a list of places in town currently involved in the scheme:

• Cafe Lazz, Gloucester Road
• Cafe Vero, City Centre
• Cornish Bakehouse (The Galleries)
• Edna’s Kitchen, Castle Park
• Five Grains, City Centre
• The Kitchen (also do suspended food), City Centre
• Playground Coffee Co, City Centre
• Poco, Stokes Croft
• Roll for the Soul, City Centre
• Tinto Lounge, Gloucester Road