London Time Bank is the capital’s network of time banking people, groups and organisations.

Time-banking, at its simplest, is a mutual form of volunteering. It is a way of supporting communities to support themselves. It is a mechanism for achieving co-produced services.

Research shows that time banks succeed in getting people, who would not normally volunteer, active in their community and provides help back when they need it. The Time of Our Lives and The Time of Our Lives Summary.

Those involved in time banking follow these core values.

We treat people as assets – We support the positive actions people can and want to do for their community.

We are re-defining work – regardless of the task, everyone’s time is valued equally – we value whatever it takes to make neighbourhoods safe and vibrant.

We reciprocate – we require that everyone gives something back ensuring all in our society have the opportunity to be involved in their community.

We support the development of social networks – these require ongoing investments of social capital generated by trust, reciprocity and civic engagement.

The London Time Bank network was founded in 2001 by the New Economics Foundation (nef)

It is affiliated to Time Banks UK

Time banking began in the USA – the brain child of Edgar Cahn - civil rights lawyer.