The six local, independent charities that make up Age Connects Wales are saying thank you to all of our amazing volunteers as we mark Volunteers Week 2023 from the 1st to 7th  June.  We have hundreds of volunteers working with us to support older people living in our communities who are often facing the devastating effects of loneliness and isolation with no family or friends to turn to.

Volunteers' Week is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering in their communities. It is supported and celebrated by small grassroots organisations as well as larger, household-name charities across the UK. Together we  will use this week to  showcase and celebrate volunteers and their contribution to our communities. Volunteers’ Week 2023 is a time to celebrate and inspire.

Speaking on behalf of Age Connects Wales, Dean Richards commented, “It so important that we all celebrate the amazing people who volunteer. They make an almighty difference to the local work we do and the older people we support. We simply couldn’t make the difference we do without them. Our research has shown that last year our combined charities totalled an amazing 47,430 hours of volunteer time given and this equates to a huge social value of £687,735! Volunteers truly are amazing.”

Whether volunteering as a befriender to help combat loneliness, a shopping volunteer to help those without the physical ability to shop for themselves, a driver helping transport older people to their doctor appointments, or based within our charity offices or community centres, every role is so important to the people we support.

One of the Age Connects Wales volunteers had this to say about her role, “I feel really lucky to be able to spend such quality time with someone I wouldn't necessarily have met or got to know well without this volunteering opportunity. It's genuinely one of the best spent hours of my week, and I always come away feeling like I've learnt something new and shared something interesting. I feel better connected to my community through my volunteering and would recommend it to everyone.”

Again to a survey by Age UK, the effects of loneliness are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and are more detrimental than obesity.  It’s so simple to become a volunteer whether you have a little or a lot of time to give. Could you offer some time to help us tackle this growing issue and make Wales a better place to grow older?

If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering please visit our Volunteer Page to find out more.