Volunteers Week, June 2026
The value of volunteers
Rae Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Volunteer Cornwall
As a newcomer to the voluntary sector, discovering the richness and scale of voluntary action in Cornwall continues to be a delight and a revelation. It is the most extraordinary gift to give your time as a volunteer, and I have met some inspirational people from diverse backgrounds.
There are popular myths and stereotypes around volunteering that I am happy to take this opportunity to debunk:
Not all volunteers are retired! I have met people of all ages and backgrounds – students, teachers, psychologists, gardeners, doctors… very often they are already busy people but want to give something back.
Volunteers are not free! From recruitment and co-ordination to deployment and ongoing support, this requires an infrastructure and investment.
Volunteers are not untrained! We invest in people to make sure that they and those they support are safe, and that volunteers are skilled and trained appropriately.
It’s not all tea and cake! Volunteering can take many forms – supporting people who have had a Stroke to become mobile again, driving children to school, transport to medical appointments, supporting people with complex needs to make positive forward steps, working with whole families in areas of high deprivation to unravel complicated daily challenges, and even being the hand-holder, literally and metaphorically, for someone at the end of life.
Having said it’s not all tea and cake – I am looking forward to volunteering in one of Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust’s cafes this week! I enjoy the chance of a chat and meeting new people – a cuppa is a great conversation opener.
Volunteering benefits the volunteer as much as the person being supported - it is great for our own health. Research from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations shows that volunteering can decrease blood pressure, improve mental health, increase the likelihood of adopting healthier lifestyles and improve disease management. Other benefits reported are making a difference, feeling less isolated, improving job prospects and making new connections. The biggest reported benefit is feeling joy. In a world that can feel quite dark at times, joy is something we all could use.
In Volunteer Cornwall alone, we have over 1,200 volunteers registered with us, some of whom are supporting the 59 community hubs across the county. We are just one of over 5,000 voluntary sector organisations in Cornwall & Isles of Scilly – that’s a superpower of voluntary action that has a huge impact on health and wellbeing for individuals, as well as avoided cost to the NHS and a social return on investment.
Here are the voices of a few volunteers we work with:
Alex, who leads a pool club in Camborne for people who are struggling to find their social connections, puts it well:
“There is a genuine sense of joy and of fulfilment to be had in volunteering and it can bring a humbling sense of responsibility knowing that you are running an activity which is easily accessible to all, and to all offers an opportunity to interact, to build friendships and to build skills and self-confidence”.
Alison, a community centre volunteer in Callington, said:
“Volunteering enables me to put back into the community and has improved my self-confidence. Knowing I am helping other people has a positive impact on my mental health”.
And finally, Chris, a community volunteer in Penzance, sums it up beautifully simply:
“You get more out of volunteering than you put in”.
For more information on sources referenced and impact of voluntary action, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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