Kildare Community Volunteers is a programme where the roles are short term and ad hoc, allowing you to volunteer in a way that both suits your lifestyle and benefits your community.

You will get a chance to volunteer in unique once of community events. Some of the recent events our Community Volunteers have been involved in Brigid1500 events, Junefest in Newbridge and Bealtaine Festival.

You will undertake unique volunteer training with Kildare Volunteer Centre and become a part of our team. You can get involved as often or as little as you like, when it suits your schedule.  You do not have to commit to specific hours every week, they are once off events.

Becoming a Community Volunteer is a great opportunity to get involved in your community and become a part of a core team of volunteers in Kildare. It’s a chance to learn about your local area, meet new people and develop new skills.

For more information about becoming a community volunteer email our Community Volunteer Coordinator John at John@volunteerkildare.ie or call on 0868646698

• Pa Carey (Leixlip) brightens up his estate and community with a magical Christmas lights extravaganza on his house for visitors and neighbours to enjoy and to raise funds for charity. He hand-makes his decorations all year round and even has Santa come to visit.
• Monasterevin businesswoman Jacinta Kenna has volunteered on parent’s school groups, in the community centre, the Christmas Lights, Women’s Shed, Streetfest, Monasterevin Youth Action to name but a few! Any local activities that are organised, you can be sure to find Jacinta at the heart of it. Along with Sharon Hanly, she runs The Peoples Market (which she also founded). This non-profit group runs a seasonal craft market (Easter, Summer, Halloween and Christmas). Each time they transform the community centre canteen into a community cafe serving handmade treats, with all the proceeds going into the next market. They run raffles for charity and will also provide the cafe for any large events that need it.

• Angela Lane is a retired nurse and lifetime volunteer having acted as a volunteer counsellor for decades. She volunteers with Kildare Alzheimers, local women’s groups, food markets and hosts AONTAS events. Angela also shares knitting and crochet skills with international refugees and asylum seekers in Newbridge.

• North Kildare Carers Support Group provides support, love and cares to for carers and their families. It is where carers can find comfort and knowing that they are not alone. It invites professionals to give important talks relating to social, family and health issues. It also balances carers lives by organising relaxing and fun events. To many carers, this organisation is the second family to them. The support they provide is so important for families struggling with the many issues involved in caring for a loved one.
• Leixlip Youth and Community Centre provides a safe place for people of all ages to go. Somewhere babies, children, teenagers, adults, and elderly can go to socialise and share interests. It is a wonderful place to have in our community run by fantastic, friendly staff and volunteers.

• Kate Monks has been a leader in her local scout group in Kilcullen for almost 10 years and was selected for her support to the younger sections and a super back up to all leaders throughout the group. Kate has always been there for parents, leaders, and the scouts. She is recognised for her inspiration to other leaders and keeping the group motivated, as well as her diligence and management as group treasurer.

• Kildare Wildlife Rescue held the First Kildare Biodiversity Conference was held on 14th October 2023 in The Keadeen Hotel in Newbirdge. Funded with the support of Kildare County Council, this unique event was organised by KWR volunteers and attended by over 100 guests, most of them volunteers of multiple Kildare-based community groups and organisations working towards improving biodiversity in the county.

• Angela Tracey is one of the original members of the Community Volunteers, having been involved in their activities in covid vaccination centres and test centres even since before the group was officially formed. Angela is a regular volunteer and this year also stepped forward to take on additional training to make the programme more accessible and inclusive.

• Aoife and Cáitlin (KARE) Aoife Cully  and Cáitlin Reilly are the first participants from the new partnership between KVCs community volunteers and KARE services to put their hands up and become active members of our community volunteers. Aoife and Cait joined the Community Volunteers in 2024 and have completed their volunteer training and are fully involved in all the community volunteer events and activities. They are specially commended for their courage and community spirit in taking the step forward to become community volunteers, paving the way for others.

On the 19th and 26th October between 10am and 1pm some Ukrainian Volunteers living in Kildare will be meeting here at Kildare Community Development Centre to make some Robin Christmas decorations. These hand made Robins will then be donated to Kildare Wildlife Rescue for them to sell in the lead up to Christmas to raise vital funds for a great local charity.
The workshops are open to everybody from every background and are completely free. They are a teaching workshop, so if you would like to learn this skill, make some new friends and help a local charity you are more than welcome to come along and get involved. You can contact Ivanna on Ivanna@volunteerkildare.ie to register. It’s okay to come to one or both workshops!

The Christmas Robin is the idea of Tetiana Husieva who had this to say about her inspiration for this
“I generally like to create things that make the person who receives them feel warm and smile. And when you hold a bird in your hands, tenderness and a sense of unity awaken in your soul, because both the bird and our soul can fly, albeit in different ways. I chose the colors for the birds so that they were native to both Ukrainians and Irish. Somehow. We want people to believe in the best, which came to us even in such cute little things.”

Kildare Volunteer Centre hosted a special awards event in March 2023 at the Council Chambers in Aras Chill Dara. The event was to celebrate and mark the huge work of volunteers across Co. Kildare in the past year. Cathaoirleach Fintan Brett was there to thank the volunteers for their selfless dedication to the community and to present the awards.

Manager David Hand who marked one year as Centre Manager acted as MC for the night, and described the work of each of the volunteers who were nominated for awards, and what their impact has been for their peers and community. Tributes were read out to those nominated and to their families who support them to keep going.

The Awards were presented to:

Volunteer Involving Organisation of the Year – North  Kildare (Leixlip) Arch Club

Volunteer of the Year – Bernie Morley (Red Cross)

Volunteer Led Response – Maynooth University, in partnership with Helping Irish Hosts, Irish Red Cross and Kildare Community Volunteers

Community Volunteer of the Year – Joint Award to Arthur Voigh and Terry Coyne

A special award was presented to Victor Purcell on the night to mark his 10 year anniversary with Kildare Volunteer Centre as a volunteer office team member. Victor also volunteers with the Moat Theatre and Gerard Manley Hopkins Festival and it was a well deserved award to mark his contribution to the community.

The event was hosted in partnership with Kildare County Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development

Regional events took place all over Ireland last Summer to acknowledge the contribution of local volunteers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kildare volunteers turned out in force for a memorable evening of music and celebration at the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge.

Four groups awards were presented (Punchestown Vaccination and Test Centre Volunteers, Naas Order of Malta, Athy Community Spirit and Naas Food Bank) along with 17 individual awards across a wide range of community and voluntary groups.

Award winners received a personal letter of thanks from Taoiseach Micheál Martin and a unique commemorative badge.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who organised, attended and participated in this very special event. It was wonderful to be in a room with all of you again to share stories and mutual respect. We hope you enjoyed your evening. You deserve all of this and so much more

This event was funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and held in partnership with Volunteer Ireland and Kildare Volunteer Centre.