27 Aug Stay tuned to find out what charities and community groups are doing around Torbay

Tune in to The Volunteer Show, Tuesdays 10am-1pm, only on Riviera FM, 107.9FM or online at www.riviera.fm

Every week, I have the opportunity to interview someone from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE) for the Volunteer Show on Riviera FM.

More often than not, my guests are nervous as they arrive at the Torquay studios and cannot understand why I will not provide them with questions ahead of time, but there is a very good reason for that – it is a chat, not a Newsnight-style grilling.

No one knows better than my guests the great work that their organisations deliver, and sometimes they surprise even themselves as they open up and share stories and anecdotes about the work they and their fellow volunteers are involved in.

The aim of the Volunteer Show is to publicise and celebrate the efforts of not just volunteers, but the charities and groups they work for in the hope that others will join the ranks and realise the benefits of getting involved.

Guests open up about their passion, and I have yet to have one leave the studio without a smile on their face as they realise how proud they are of the work they do and the organisations they volunteer for. What is more, they want to tell the world about it.

It might be that they want to explain how important their group is, how they help others, or it might be that they want to appeal for others to join the ranks, to get involved or to publicise an upcoming fundraising event.

As discussed in last week’s column, there are hundreds of fundraising events taking place across the Bay every month, and all are vying for the pound in your pocket to reinvest in our communities.

Here at Torbay Communities, we are looking to deliver year-round fundraisers that will not only raise much-needed funds but also provide entertainment for everyone involved. We need help on both counts.

We are grateful to the runners who will be donning their trainers for us next month to pound the highways and byways in the Torbay Half Marathon and 10K run, which will be making a delayed return to the Bay after bad weather put the kibosh on it last year.

However, there is always room for others to join them. If you are up for the challenge, please drop me an email to [email protected]k. In exchange for you raising more than £100, we will cover your entry fees.

Whilst we do organise things ourselves, we rely heavily on others to help us raise funds. Once again, we are grateful to those who appreciate the work that we do and put on events for us, such as the sea shanty singers of Brixham.

Last year we had Shanties by the Sea with Missin Tackle, pianist Anne Fairey and four-part harmony group Carport Extension  at the Berry Head Hotel, and that was so successful we are going back on Tuesday, September 9^th

However, this time, instead of an evening concert, the Harbour Buoys will be appearing, again with Anne Fairey, to play at a cream tea on Tuesday, September 90^th between 3 and 6 pm at something we have called Sea Shan–Teas (geddit)? Tickets priced at £12 are available online or by calling 01803 212638.

Cream teas will also be the order of the day when we set sail from Paignton, hopefully on Monday, September 8^th (though we have also booked the boat for the Friday in case the weather is against us), for a wildlife spotting cruise around the Bay.

The cruise is already fully booked, but if there is interest, we can always organise another one, although probably not until next year.

As my radio guests and our fundraisers prove time and again, volunteering and raising money for charity can be a whole heap of fun, as can other aspects of work in the VCSE sector.

Many things that happen in the Bay would not be possible without our volunteers, and we need to always celebrate their efforts, support them, and remember to express our gratitude for their contributions.

If you’d like to shout about your organisation and the people who volunteer for it, or promote your fundraising efforts, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line via email at [email protected]. A warm welcome in the Riviera FM studio awaits.