Aden – Havering Volunteer Centre

This is Aden. He’s an incredible young volunteer who joined Havering Volunteer Centre at the age of 8 when he volunteered alongside his Mum. Aden is now 14 and has been volunteering in the community for 6 years! There isn’t anything he doesn’t want to be involved in!

Just recently Aden gave up 3 hours of his school inset day, to turn a little community hall into a grotto for the children to come and visit Santa. He didn’t stop at that though; he then came back on the Saturday and volunteered his time and dressed up as a Nutcracker to ask all the children about their time visiting Santa… Did we mention he is 14 years old???

Covid-19 hit Aden hard; he never got to take his SATs and the start to year 7 wasn’t much better, with lockdowns preventing him from going to school. Nevertheless, he still found the time to volunteer, walking dogs and assembling PPE.

Christmas 2021, he came to help Havering Volunteer Centre on a Saturday afternoon to fundraise and wrap presents in a shopping centre.

Aden has taken part in many community clean-ups, pulled weeds at the sensory garden, supported the RBL poppy appeal, collected Easter eggs for children residing in temporary accommodation, sent Christmas cards to care homes and spent many a day undertaking admin volunteering in HVC’s office.

When we asked Aden why he volunteers he said “I’ve never thought about why, it was just something I could do with my mum but I really like seeing the difference a few hours here and there can make. Whether that’s a difference to an area, to a person or even to me, it gives me a really good feeling when I see other people happy”

We think Aden is a London’s Lifeline and are very proud of his volunteering journey!