Voluntary Services Lewisham (VSL) is a borough-wide charity that aims to support and empower Lewisham residents through enabling community engagement, increasing social inclusion, and promoting general wellbeing. One of the key ways that VSL does this is through the recruitment and training of local volunteers to help deliver its range of services.

Their volunteer-led transport service provides affordable transport and door to door passenger assistance for elderly and vulnerable residents who need support getting to and from places such as local day centres. This service also enabled VSL to played a vital role in delivering food parcels to shielding and other vulnerable residents during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Among the other services that VSL run are their mental health drop-ins where those experiencing severe or long-lasting mental health issues can meet to socialise and connect. VSL also recruit and coordinate a diverse team of volunteer befrienders who provide regular home visits or telephone calls to those who feel lonely and isolated and are unable to get out of their homes.

Read more about VSL: https://vslonline.org.uk/