Musical Empowerment

Helping older people to stay active and engage with their communities, Volunteering Matters' LifeLines project welcomed People's Postcode Lottery Ambassador Danyl Johnson into one of its Sing Well sessions.

In Brighton, the LifeLines project has a strong successful history of empowering individuals to volunteer and engage with older people.

As a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Volunteering Matters has developed a volunteer-response programme to support community efforts in a coordinated, structured, safe and responsible way.

Volunteering Matters staff have innovated and creatively repurposed their approach to ensure older people can still safely enjoy precious social time and stay connected. In Brighton volunteers are now providing,

• Shopping support for weekly essentials and prescription collection,  
• Telephone befriending, where regular volunteers provide a lifeline of contact for many who live on their own, and
• Group activities online and by telephone, including seated Pilates, quizzes, singing sessions, creative writing, book reading, podcasts and regular 'coffee mornings'.

Emma Thomas-Hancock, Director of Services at Volunteering Matters, said, "Volunteering Matters has over fifty years' experience of managing and delivering volunteer programmes that help local communities across the UK. Volunteers are playing a huge role in responding to the crisis. 

"Since the start of lockdown the staff and volunteers at LifeLines have been doing everything they can to help and support older members of Brighton's community to cope with the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis.

"We were delighted Danyl Johnson took the time to join in our Sing Well session. His support not only recognises the valuable role volunteers are playing to support the crisis, but also amplifies the importance and value our vital groups have for many isolated older people."

Amazing Projects

Our players have raised £2.8 Million to help Volunteering Matters reach tens of thousands of vulnerable and disadvantaged older people in communities across England, Scotland and Wales.

In response to COVID-19, player support has helped the charity to develop volunteering solutions, like partnering with Sing Well, and helping to combat isolation, reduce inequality and build thriving communities.

If you'd like to help amazing Charities like Volunteering Matters, why not sign up to play People's Postcode Lottery? Our players can also win superb Prizes every single day. Find out How It Works to discover all of this and more.