This is Volunteers' Week. If you are sighing, "not another … Week", I have some sympathy!
I'm not going to bombard you with statistics, but simply say that volunteers are the people who keep vital services running. As the amount of money available for social care, education, the arts, grassroots sport and healthcare shrinks before our eyes, the work of volunteers is even more essential.
Mencap has grown its network over the last five years from around 200 volunteers through to 1260 today. Each of them will be getting a handwritten thank you card this week.
The RVS depends on volunteers for its many services, including working to prevent older people having to go home alone after a hospital stay.
Inclusive sport needs people to help – perhaps you could help someone get back into sport, while improving your own fitness, like parkrun volunteer, Roz.
Whatever your interests, there is bound to be a volunteering opportunity to match. And the best thing? You get at least as much out of it as the people you're helping...