RSVP (Forth Valley)
RSVP Forth Valley supports people aged 50+ to stay active, connected and make a difference through volunteering. It helps reduce isolation and improve health and wellbeing while benefiting local communities.
Forth Valley offers a range of volunteer-led activities across Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire.
With over 200 volunteers involved, projects are shaped around people’s interests, skills and local community needs.
From long-standing experience, we know that regular volunteering helps reduce loneliness and supports better mental and physical health. It also creates opportunities for older people to share their experience, build connections and play an active role in their communities.
A major Public Health challenge in the UK is achieving healthy aging. Age UK estimate that between 6-9 million people across the UK say they feel lonely. This often begins when people lose significant relationships, or opportunities to engage in meaningful activities.
Retirement can mean a loss of routine, purpose, and a decrease in social contact. By volunteering, older people are provided with a hobby and interest which serves as a catalyst for connection with others.
Like other RSVP projects across the UK, RSVP Forth Valley relies on local fundraising activities and small grants from supermarket prize draws, or the Rotary.
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Our work in Forth Valley
Supporting NHS hospitals
RSVP volunteers provide invaluable support for patients, visitors and staff in a wide range of departments across NHS Forth Valley. Roles include chatting to people, serving hot drinks, helping people find their way around, interacting with children, repairing hearing aids, and lots more!
Handyperson service
RSVP volunteers support older people, or people with disabilities, with small and minor maintenance tasks in their homes. The types of jobs we do normally take less than an hour, and includes tasks that some older people may find hard to complete by themselves such as changing bulbs, hanging mirrors, building furniture, or rewiring a plug.
Charitable knitting
RSVP volunteers create knitted items which are then distributed to local NHS hospitals, care home’s, children’s charities or even internationally to people in need. Knitters volunteer at home but then come together at our coffee mornings in Alloa and Dunblane (normally every 2-3 months) to compare projects and socialise with others. Free wool and materials are supplied to volunteers.
Supporting local primary schools
RSVP volunteers support pupils with their learning on a 1:1 basis, or in small groups, helping students with confidence and social skills. Having an older role model in the classroom can help children’s progress in school. Volunteers normally support with reading groups, arithmetic, arts and crafts, music, school trips and more.
Walking groups
Trained RSVP walk leaders provide a programme of walks of varying degrees of difficulty, normally 4 days per week across Stirling and Clackmannanshire. A new schedule is published every quarter. You can find the latest Walking Programme here.
Opportunities in Forth Valley
Opportunity
Audiology Team Volunteer (Forth Valley)
Support patients and staff in a hospital setting while learning practical new skills. Help people maintain their hearing aids and feel more confident in managing their hearing.
Opportunity
Handyperson Organiser (Stirlingshire & Clackmannanshire)
The Lead organiser role will ideally be undertaken by someone aged 50+ however this is not essential. The role supports the running and management of our project, including the recruitment of new…
Opportunity
Knitting Group Volunteer (Forth Valley)
Older people in Stirling and Clackmannanshire knit items for local charities and other good causes.
Opportunity
Schools Volunteer (Forth Valley)
For people aged 50+, volunteers support school pupils with their learning on a 1:1 basis, and in small groups, helping students with confidence, social schools, and capability in school.
Forth Valley stories and updates
Get in touch
If you’d like more information about the project, or to support our work.
Contact Steph
T: 01259 928 088
This project is kindly funded by
