Your role in the community

When you move into a new home, it is a good idea to introduce yourself to your neighbours. They can become friends, tell you about local shops and services, or feed your pet while you are away. Respect their privacy and keep noise down, especially at night. Keep your garden tidy, and put your rubbish and recycling out only on collection day.

Parents can often help at their children's school, for example by listening to children read, helping in class or going on school trips. Many schools hold fundraising events, such as book or toy sales and food stalls, and a parent-teacher association (PTA) often organises them. The school will tell you about chances to help through letters or notices. Schools check volunteers before they work with children.

School governors are volunteers from the local community who help run a school. They must be 18 or over, and there is no upper age limit. Governors help set the school's direction, hold the head teacher to account for how the school is doing and check that money is spent well. To become one, ask a local school or the council, or use a recruitment service such as Governors for Schools.

Political parties welcome new members. Members help most at election time. They hand out leaflets and knock on doors to ask people for their support, which is called canvassing. This is legal. If a canvasser asks how you will vote, you do not have to tell them. British citizens, and in some cases Irish, Commonwealth and EU citizens, can stand as a local councillor or for one of the UK's parliaments.

Many local services look for volunteers, from hospitals to youth projects. Universities, housing associations, museums and arts councils sometimes advertise for volunteers to sit on their boards. If you want to help with law and order, you could become a special constable, a police support volunteer or a magistrate. Look for these roles in local papers, on local radio and on GOV.UK.

Hospitals need donated blood to treat people with many kinds of illness and injury. A visit to give blood takes about an hour, and the needle part only 5 to 10 minutes. Each of the four nations has its own blood service where you can register. All parts of the UK now have an "opt out" system for organ donation. You can still record your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and tell your family. Living people can also give a kidney.