Eight free East Hampshire volunteering festivals start 21 August: what residents need to know

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-19 13:41 3 min read

Three young festival goers watching a performance in a sunny outdoor field.

East Hampshire residents can explore local volunteering opportunities at eight free festivals between Friday 21 August and Saturday 26 September 2026. The series opens at Grayshott Sports Pavilion from 6pm to 8pm on 21 August before moving to venues in Four Marks, Alton, Whitehill, Horndean, Liss, Petersfield and Froyle.

The events are free, open to the public and aimed at anyone interested in giving time to a charity, community group, society or club. East Hampshire District Council is organising the programme to show residents the range of roles available close to where they live.

Eight dates across East Hampshire

Each festival will bring together a mixture of organisations. Some operate across the district, while others concentrate on a particular town or village.

Date and time	Venue
Friday 21 August, 6–8pm	Grayshott Sports Pavilion
Saturday 19 September, 11am–2pm	Four Marks Village Hall
Wednesday 23 September, 10am–3pm	Dementia Friendly Alton, Alton Assembly Rooms
Thursday 24 September, 2–4pm	Forest Community Centre, Whitehill
Friday 25 September, 2.30–6.30pm	Merchistoun Hall, Horndean
Saturday 26 September, 9am–4pm	Liss Royal British Legion
Saturday 26 September, 10am–2pm	Winton House and Homestart Butser, Petersfield
Saturday 26 September, from 6pm	Froyle Safari Supper, Froyle Village Hall

Three festivals take place on 26 September, although their starting times and locations differ. The published information gives a 6pm start for the Froyle event but does not specify a finishing time.

Eight free East Hampshire volunteering festivals start 21 August: what residents need to know

Choosing a festival by place and date

The programme is spread across the district, allowing residents to start with an event in or near their own town or village. Those comparing the three festivals on 26 September should note that the Liss and Petersfield events overlap during the morning, while the Froyle event begins later at 6pm.

The council says the participating organisations will include both district-wide groups and organisations with a much more local focus. That means the organisations represented may differ between venues, so the nearest festival is likely to provide the clearest view of opportunities serving that particular community.

Local groups will set out ways to get involved

Participating charities, clubs and community organisations will present the work they do and explain how residents can contribute. The programme is intended to cover different interests and skill sets rather than focus on a single type of volunteering.

Councillor Adeel Shah, East Hampshire District Council’s portfolio holder for community development and engagement, said the locally distributed events would give residents a closer look at opportunities in their own communities. He described volunteering as a rewarding way to use spare time and help other people.

Entry details before choosing a festival

All eight Volunteering Festivals in East Hampshire are listed as free and open to the public. The supplied information does not provide a booking procedure or details about parking, public transport or accessibility. Visitors who require those arrangements should check East Hampshire District Council’s published event information before setting out.

The series is part-funded through East Hampshire District Council’s Grow Up programme using the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Source: East Hampshire District Council News

Context & actions About this article

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This preview was prepared from East Hampshire District Council’s published event schedule and the supplied event details.

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