Welcome to Buddies

Buddies is a charitable organisation based in West Berkshire, that aims to ensure that all children and young people aged 5-18 have equal access to leisure opportunities. We do this by recruiting volunteers to ‘buddy’ children with additional support needs, and by attempting to raise awareness of the importance of making leisure opportunities inclusive.

We aim to support children and young people to get involved in existing local leisure activities such as sports, scouts, clubs or lessons, by matching them up with a volunteer that we hope will enjoy similar activities. All volunteers are trained and go through the relevant CRB and Police checks to ensure that they are providing the best support to each child or young person.

Buddies is run by a voluntary management committee of local people who have an interest in this area. Buddies also employs two part-time development officers who work to recruit, train and support volunteers, engage with local leisure providers such as sports centres, the scout movement and others, and raise awareness of buddies and its work.

Please make your way around the site for more information on buddies and how you can get involved.