SOME of the volunteering opportunities coming up for members of Darlington Cares include the following:

• A physical outdoor challenge at Geneva Woods, supervised by Groundwork North-East. The two to three-hour challenge will take place on March 20;

• A gardening challenge for the YMCA Young Carers group, at Middleton Court, off Borough Road, during March and April;

• A multi-team challenge at The Bridge Centre for Visual Arts, in Yarm Road, planned for April;

• Repairs and maintenance to unwanted bicycles on sale in the Bike Stop charity shop, in Skinnergate, beginning in March;

• Decorating, tidying and outdoor planting at Age UK’s Bradbury House headquarters in Darlington;

• A reading scheme for Darlington primary schools, in collaboration with Darlington Borough Council’s early years education team. Launching in April, volunteers are needed to commit an hour per week, for at least one term at the following schools: Heathfield Primary, Gurney Pease Academy, Corporation Road Community Primary, Springfield Academy and Mount Pleasant Primary.