Volunteers muck in at farm for Tinie Tempah tickets

Young people have been volunteering at a charity in Nottingham and have earned themselves free tickets to watch Tinie Tempah in the process.

More than 50 volunteers gathered at Stonebridge City Farm in St Ann's on Wednesday to give four hours of their time to get tickets to the Tempah concert at Rock City next month.

Young people from Nottingham College and the city's two universities were amongst those getting their hands dirty for entry to the exclusive event held just for volunteers.

Rick Harrington, CEO of the farm, said the "swarm of volunteers" helped with small jobs around the site like moving soil or painting and were "gratefully appreciated".

The initiative, led by RockCorps, encourages people to help at charities and community groups across the city ahead of the concert on 8 April.

Kat Minett, global partnerships director at RockCorps, said: "The whole idea is that we use the music and the ticket as the carrot.

"There will be a lot of people that are disengaged with their communities at the moment, we hear a lot about loneliness and isolation.

"We are trying to get people to take ownership in their community. Most people need it awoken inside of them."

Harrington, said volunteering was "about a sense of connection and a sense of belonging".

He said: "Volunteers are really important but there is a bigger picture to volunteering and this is about community and people understanding how important it is for us as human beings to connect with others.

"When we look at social media and how divisive that can be, in terms of people coming together and actually meeting people face to face.

"When we don't have that it leads to poor mental health.

"The way of social media connecting people is the wrong way around, we form relationships electronically and not in person."

Morgan Hadfield, 19, from Derby, was volunteering with friend Roo Webb, 18, from Ripley.

Hadfield said it was good to have "new experiences" and to learn new skills.

"It is good to give back.

"We are learning transferable skills that we can apply in other things.

"It is also really hard to find volunteering opportunities without already knowing somebody that has done something like that.

"It is a nice way with this group being publicised quite widely to be able to see the opportunity listed and just apply off your own back," Hadfield said.

Nellie, 24, a charity worker, said: "When I was a volunteer coordinator in my old job at a charity I found it very hard to motivate young people but then with the cost of living and inflation and everything no-one can afford to not work.

"So I totally get it, but it is definitely hard to motivate people my age to do it."

University student Ujanah, 23, said more young jobseekers would consider volunteering if "more weight" was given to it by future employers.

Ujanah added she was looking forward to seeing her friends "dancing and having a good time" at the gig.

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