THE Royal Voluntary Service is appealing for more people to discover the joys of volunteering whilst keeping their local community healthy and happy.
RVS has been providing invaluable support to people in need across the West Midlands both before and during the pandemic.
With the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the charity and its volunteers have been able to improve health and wellbeing, resilience, confidence and connections to some of region’s most vulnerable people.
For instance some of the ways in which local volunteers are improving the lives of people in Worcestershire include serving refreshments to staff and patients in the Royal Voluntary Service shops at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital, and supporting as NHS Volunteer Responder Steward Volunteers at vaccination centres.
People are also being encouraged to sign up for a new emergency response volunteer role, to form a team of standby volunteers who will be ready to come to the aid of their communities and their NHS when urgent needs arise.
And it works both ways – as a result of donating their time, RVS volunteers report better physical health; mental health and wellbeing.
They’ve also learnt new skills, had work experience and enjoyed a sense of connection to others in their community.
More volunteers are needed to continue providing life changing support to vulnerable and isolated people.
RVS is encouraging anyone that wants to make a positive difference to their community and experience the countless benefits of volunteering to step forward and find out about roles in their area at royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/volunteering.
Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain’s largest volunteering charities with volunteers supporting the NHS and thousands of vulnerable people in the community.
