number7

Barking & Dagenham Post

For many years I have loved working with Lonely Orphans to use recreation and lol engage orphans, widows and vulnerable communities, creating opportunities for friendship, confidence and recovery from trauma.

Sport is a bridge to wellbeing, inclusion, resilience and positive change.

As a volunteers, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of generosity, kindness and shared experiences. Across many countries over the years, sport has helped break barriers, inspire dreams and bring people together. Every step, paddle and challenge makes a difference.

Join me on the Masjid Run and be part of something meaningful.

Get in touch!

#thesportsshow #masjidrun#thewanderinglondoner

Litter picking is a simple activity that can inspire movement, raise awareness and create positive change. It brings people together, encourages wellbeing, promotes exercise and helps build stronger community connections.

Every piece of litter removed improves the environment and sends a powerful message that our streets, parks and green spaces matter. Aspiration often begins with small acts. By caring for our surroundings, we inspire others to do the same.

Pick it up, make streets shine bright,

Small good deeds can spark delight.

Together we care, together we grow,

Planting change wherever we go.

Thank you #litterheroes

#lovewhereyoulive #thewanderinglondoner

Bringing together people of all ages, the walk creates opportunities to exercise, socialise and enjoy the outdoors while boosting physical and mental wellbeing.

Regular walking supports heart health, improves fitness, reduces stress and helps build positive habits for a healthier lifestyle.

Equally important, it strengthens community connections, encourages conversation and helps combat loneliness.

With every step taken, participants invest in their health, happiness and wellbeing, proving that active communities are stronger, brighter and better connected communities.

#funwalk #volunteerswalk #empoweryourroots #thewanderinglondoner

Why we need to start seeing the person, not the tag

https://www.thepavement.org.uk/stories/2842

#volunteersweek #homeless #thewanderinglondoner

With Hafsa Noor

Barking & Dagenham Post

Volunteers are often the heartbeat of community projects. They bring experience, energy, networks, ideas, encouragement, visibility and countless unseen hours that cash strapped initiatives could never afford to buy.

Respect costs nothing, yet means everything. Recognition, communication and appreciation help volunteers thrive and continue making a difference.

The Home School project is creating opportunities for local young coaches to learn, develop and grow in a positive environment where enjoyment comes first. Through fun, learning and skill building, future leaders gain confidence while supporting others.

Every volunteer contribution matters. Value people properly, acknowledge their efforts and never underestimate the magic they bring. Strong projects are built on strong relationships.

Thank you Ashid and the London Enterprise Academy for the equipment!

#volunteersweek #homeschoolcricket #thewanderinglondoner

For homeless friends facing hardship, hunger affects health, energy, wellbeing and hope. Nutritious food gives strength, restores dignity and reminds people they are seen and valued.

In the UK, millions continue to face food insecurity, with many households struggling to afford healthy meals and emergency food support remaining a lifeline.

Hunger exists in our streets and communities, often hidden in plain sight.

Small acts of sharing build compassion, restore trust and remind us that nobody should face hardship alone.

#thewanderinglondoner

#istanbul #bosphorus

A fun day with teachers and children brought energy and happiness through arcade games, VR adventures, racing simulators, basketball challenges, air hockey, climbing activities and indoor play spaces.

The smiles travelled further than the scores and for Uyghur families in Istanbul, recreation alongside education builds trust, confidence and connection.

Learning develops opportunity while play strengthens wellbeing, friendships and resilience.

Together they help children heal, families bond and communities grow stronger. Kindness, tolerance and shared joy create foundations for a world shaped by understanding, dignity, hope and love.

#istanbul #thewanderinglondoner

Ferries glide across shimmering blue currents as seagulls dance overhead and distant minarets rise beside modern skylines.

Morning light scatters silver across the water while evening colours paint reflections that seem to belong to another age.

Cafes hum, fishing lines sway and stories drift through the breeze linking generations, cultures and journeys.

There is movement yet calmness, grandeur yet simplicity.

The Bosphorus does not simply divide land; it connects people, memory and wonder into one unforgettable living landscape.

Bosphorus glows where dusk drifts slow

Waves hum low where old winds blow

Two lands pause where currents glide

Night spills gold on the restless tide

#istanbul #bosphorus #thewanderinglondoner

A day sharing books, puzzles, water bottles from my amazingly kind hearted friend!

Engaging with care homes is important in terms of human connection with any people who have been written off, especially those who have a wealth of knowledge and experience still to share and contribute to the benefit of society.

Sharing food, games, conversation, gardening, reading, crafts, exercise, storytelling, baking, technology lessons and cultural activities reduces loneliness and neglect.

Elderly people carry wisdom, history, sacrifice and a powerful legacy that younger generations can learn from.

Communities have a responsibility to care, include and value older residents rather than forget them.

Many still volunteer, mentor, advise and inspire others while playing an important role in society.

Listening to elders strengthens understanding, compassion and unity. Celebrating life together builds happier, kinder and stronger communities.

These activities are shaping a generation that understands the importance of protecting public spaces and respecting the planet.

Education is vital because classrooms alone cannot teach active citizenship and real learning happens through action, participation and visible impact. When young people clean streets, remove waste and improve shared spaces, they develop pride, discipline and social responsibility.

Practice creates awareness far more effectively than words alone.

Today’s young generation is increasingly waking up to environmental challenges and teaching older generations the importance of sustainability, climate awareness and collective action.

Through aspiration, awareness and positive habits, culture can change. Schools that promote community action inspire pupils to become leaders, role models and protectors of the environment.

Every litter pick sends a powerful message that caring for the planet begins locally, with individual responsibility and united community effort.

#littlelitterleague #londonenterpriseacademy #thewanderinglondoner

Today’s community task showed how collective effort can transform neglected spaces into cleaner, safer and more welcoming environments.

The visible impact of removing litter and waste lifts the atmosphere, creating a positive psychological effect for residents and visitors alike.

Clean surroundings encourage respect, wellbeing and stronger community spirit.

Huge thanks to uncle and Councillor Sadruzzaman for the encouragement, support and kind words. Their positivity was inspiring.

Small actions together create lasting change, reminding us that cleaner communities build healthier minds, civic pride and stronger neighbourhood connections for future generations.

Thank you to all our dddhcatsd #litterheroes

#lovewhereyoulive

Regular walking improves heart health, boosts energy, supports fitness, reduces stress, sharpens focus, and lifts mood naturally.

This activity brings together old and young, families, friends, neighbours, and newcomers in a welcoming environment filled with conversation, laughter, and encouragement.

Every step builds unity, confidence, wellbeing, and positive habits while creating stronger community bonds.

Join us every Sunday at Seven Kings Park at 10.30am and be part of something uplifting, active, and meaningful for all generations.

#funwalk #thewanderinglondoner

It encourages responsibility, protects wildlife, reduces pollution, strengthens neighbourhood bonds, inspires positive habits, promotes physical activity, and shows how small collective actions create meaningful lasting change for communities and future generations alike.

Thank you #litterheroes

#lovewhereyoulive #thewanderinglondoner

Goodwill lands loudly. A donation arrived and within days its purpose unfolded.

Joseph appeared, curious, then certain. His eyes lit up at a water bottle; a small thing, a big difference. “I need one,” he said, smiling, planning fewer trips to the kitchen and more ease.

That instant exchange held energy you can’t stage. We set up together, strangers to teammates, sharing stories and laughter. Impact isn’t always grand; it’s timely, human, precise.

The community fuels Bookbike and the Kind Counter, just like all my volunteer initiatives. We give honestly, act quickly, and watch how lives intersect, uplift, and continue forward.

May your generosity be returned to you in abundance, your intentions accepted, your provision increased, and your kindness a light for you in this life and the next. Ameen.

You gave quiet, yet changed the day

A simple gift that paved a way

Your kindness is a steady breeze

When people connect, burdens ease

Sincere giving creates immediate, human impact. Small acts, done with intent, build connection, solve real needs, and power community without waiting for outside help.

I don’t wait around for corporate or government scraps but I do really fully on my community and that is always long lasting!