TimeBank

There are many treats in store this month with Valentine’s Day, Pancake Day and even Bramley Apple Week just around the corner. But it’s also Eating Disorders Awareness Week, National Heart Month and International Fitness Week, so there’s lots going on to encourage you to live and eat more healthily too. Here are some volunteering ideas to help you get stuck in to healthy, foodie February.

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Work Out for the Environment

To play your part in International Fitness Week from 1-7 February why not have a work out and contribute to helping the environment at the same time? A typical Green Gym group meets weekly to take part in practical conservation or gardening sessions, not forgetting the warm up and cooling down exercises at the beginning and end of each session.

Go Green

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Hearty Health

February is National Heart Month and 26 February has been hailed as National Wear Red Day where the British Heart Foundation encourages people to fundraise to help fight heart disease by wearing red, painting your face red, hosting events – anything goes as long as it involves red!
Or why not hold a tea party and bake red cakes.

Don’t forget to ensure the party is full of heart healthy foods such as nuts, seafood, oats, bananas and even dark chocolate.

Go Heart Healthy

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Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Are you one of the 1.6 million people in the UK that is affected by an eating disorder in some way? You may be interested in volunteering on beat’s national campaign day on 26 February where the charity is encouraging volunteers and supporters to visit their local MPs and deliver Beating Eating Disorders – their manifesto for change.

But beat needs volunteers throughout the year too - from taking part in a sponsored run, to organising a coffee morning, beat needs fundraising volunteers across the country. Or why not volunteer and develop your communication, listening and IT skills at the same time by being part of the helpline and support services volunteer team - work at their head office in Norwich if you live nearby or help out on the Adult Line from the comfort of your own home.

Beat eating disorders through volunteering

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Fairtrade Fortnight

Help out at a Fairtrade Fortnight event from 22 February – 7 March to help the Fairtrade Foundation achieve their target of one million and one Fairtrade swaps. For two whole weeks The Big Swap will be about swapping your usual stuff for Fairtrade - your usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, your usual cotton socks for Fairtrade socks.

Also, if you’re a volunteer based in London, your office skills are in demand at Fairtrade headquarters, based in Aldgate, plus all the exciting London events happening during Fairtrade Fortnight. Contact volunteering@fairtrade.org.uk for details.

Find your local Fairtrade campaign group

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