As we celebrate Volunteers’ Week, I want to pay tribute to the generosity of all those who give up their time to help others.
I have the honour of being CEO of One Community, an Eastleigh-based charity which supports vulnerable people, both young and old, in the local area. So many of our services are enriched by the warmth and kind-heartedness of volunteers. Their enthusiasm and community spirit makes all the difference to the clients we support.
Volunteers truly are the golden thread running through organisations like ours – they are the strong foundation upon which we build our services, and the lifeblood of every charitable enterprise.
I have great belief in the power of volunteering, not just as a CEO, but as a long-standing volunteer myself. I can often be found driving a minibus, taking a community group for a grand day out in London or down to the beach for a paddle. Often my passengers have not been on such an outing for over twenty years – I get immense satisfaction from helping them to live their lives to the fullest.
Volunteering doesn’t have to mean committing to a big task or a long-term project – you could contribute to a one-off event like the wonderful Make Eastleigh Green Again initiative – but if you fancied a regular role, you could be a minibus driver, day service volunteer or work in a charity shop. Volunteering offers endless opportunities!
Here at One Community, volunteers play a crucial role in every project we run. Our volunteers assist us in areas including:
- administration support
- social media
- driving our minibuses
- caring for our clients at day service
- installing Lifeline emergency buttons
- Shopmobility at the Swan Centre
And, of course, our Board of Trustees is staffed entirely by volunteers, too!
Many of our services are also enhanced by the support of students on placement with us. We currently have students working with us in day service, administration support and finance. One Community believes in our incredible young people and we’re delighted to support them to build their CVs and go on to achieve their dreams.
I am proud of all our volunteers at One Community, and pleased we’ve been able to help them with their own goals, the way they have helped us with ours. Volunteers benefit by improving their mental health & wellbeing, building confidence, gaining skills for employment, having a sense of purpose and enjoying the companionship that volunteering offers.
I am also pleased that One Community has been able to support other charities across the borough of Eastleigh by recruiting volunteers to their roles. Basics Bank staff, Citizens’ Advice Bureau staff, photographers, youth workers, minibus drivers, counsellors – you name it, we’ve recruited volunteers for it!
I just want to finish with a huge thank you to each and every one of you wonderful volunteers for the skill and dedication you bring to your work. I’m reminded of a quote that resonates deeply with me:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
That sentiment reflects the feedback we often receive—clients and community members telling us how seen, valued, and cared for they felt because of a volunteer’s kindness.
You are the heart of what we do.
Thank you for working with us – together we make a difference.