Timebanking UK; Still climbing: aiming for 7 million hours and growing!
The newest update from Timebanking UK is out, and it brings powerful reminders of why timebanking matters, along with exciting steps forward for the network. From major ambitions to everyday acts of kindness, there’s a lot to celebrate.
Where we are now and where we’re heading
As of the latest report, the total hours exchanged through Timebanking UK has reached 6,795,544 hours. That’s an incredible milestone, and this year we’re pushing to break through 7 million hours exchanged across the UK.
For anyone new to timebanking or looking to restart their involvement, this is a great moment to join in. Every hour you give counts, and it all contributes to a growing national network of connection and support.
The “One Hour Timebanking Challenge” for anyone, anywhere
One of the biggest announcements: the national Timebank called the “One Hour Timebanking Challenge” is up and running.
This is perfect for people who don’t have a local time bank nearby or for anyone who wants to participate across regions. The Challenge allows remote or area-based swapping, making timebanking far more accessible to people living in more rural or remote areas, or anyone without a committed local time-bank.
It’s a sign of how Timebanking UK is evolving: not just supporting existing local time banks, but thinking nationally and inclusively, and the more people who get involved, the more there is on offer, for those who need, and those who need to give!
Ideas to get started: everyday ways to give (and receive) time
Timebanking isn’t only about major commitments, it’s about small, friendly exchanges that build community, bit by bit. The latest update offers a range of suggestions to help members get going:
- Grocery dash & drop
- Small handy fixes (DIY help, small tasks)
- “Tea & talk” chats or social visits
- Digital check-ins (helping with tech, calls, remote connection)
- Simple “makes-and-shares”, like crafts, baking, sharing knowledge or hobbies
These kinds of exchanges show just how flexible and human time-based giving can be. It doesn’t matter whether you have huge blocks of time or just an hour or two now-and-then: every contribution helps.
Growing the team; supporting communities far and wide
To match the growing ambition, Timebanking UK is also expanding its support network. The latest update mentions:
- A new full-time coordinator hired in Newcastle
- Additional associates working in regions like Somerset, Cambridgeshire, and more
This increase in staffing helps ensure more people get the support they need, whether to join, create a new time bank, or maintain existing ones, and helps make timebanking accessible and sustainable across the UK.
Human impact; when time credits become real lives
Perhaps the most moving part of the latest report is a real-life story showing what timebanking can do.
Hours donated via prison-linked time banks, often overlooked by wider society, have made a real difference. In one case, two women met regularly for companionship, digital-skills support, and friendship: one with limited mobility, the other isolated and seeking social connection. Through timebanking, they built a supportive friendship, showing how this model can transform isolation into community, and simple time credits into hope, dignity and friendship.
Stories like this remind us that timebanking isn’t just about trading services; it’s about restoring human connection, building social value, and giving people back the feeling of being needed, seen, and part of something bigger.
Why timebanking still matters, and why you should consider getting involved
At its heart, timebanking is not about money. It’s about people.
The core of timebanking is that one hour given = one hour received. It doesn’t matter what the task is, where you’re from, what your background is; everyone’s time is valued equally. That simple principle opens up a world where skills, kindness, and human presence become currency. How it works.
Over many years, timebanking has proven to be more than just a clever idea! It’s a grassroots movement that builds social capital, reduces loneliness, strengthens communities, and gives people a sense of belonging. Overview
For communities that are isolated, struggling, or simply in need of more connection, timebanking can offer more than help: it offers dignity, purpose, and companionship.
What happens next and how to get involved
- If you don’t already belong to a local timebank, check whether the One Hour Timebanking Challenge works for where you are.
- If you do belong already then have a look at the “everyday help” suggestions and see if you can offer an hour to someone this week.
- Know someone who might benefit from help? whether companionship, small tasks, or a listening ear, introduce them to timebanking.
- Spread the word. The more people that know about timebanking, the bigger the network becomes, and the more impact we can have together.
If you want to read more about how timebanking works: how time credits are exchanged and recorded, what kinds of tasks are common, and what values guide the practice, then check out Timebanking UK’s “How it works” page. How it works