Today I worked with Leigh, some wonderful students and volunteers from Sanctus working on Chelmsford campus’ fast growing greenhouse. We planted onions, chilies, aubergine (Leigh planted enough for all of the homeless people in Chelmsford I think!), thyme, oregano, and so many more. They’re getting ready to grow into produce that will go towards the homeless people that Sanctus support. All in all, a great days work.

I used to volunteer all the time. I was a Young Leader in Girl Guiding, I volunteered with the SU a lot, and I’d do anything from bake sales to organising charity events. These days, this job is so busy that I don’t have a lot of time to do volunteering, but I always try to fit it in when there’s time.

The thing is, there’s always something you can do, someone you can help and some way to do it. When people think of volunteering, it’s usually things like litter picking. And you’re not wrong, that is volunteering. But it’s also a sponsored mountain climb or running a class for a kids after school club. Volunteering is literally giving up your time, and often there’s nothing else that’s more rewarding.

I can’t explain the wonderful feeling that comes with volunteering unless you’ve gotten out there and done it. So you’ll have to save me the struggle and get involved – do four hours a week in your local Oxfam, do something fun once a week with people you’d never have met otherwise, spend time making lovely things and donating them, find an understaffed local helpline, put yourself out there for the people that need us the most.