26 Feb “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.”

Have you ever stopped to wonder why so many people volunteer? You might be surprised by some of the reasons.

Volunteers make the world go round, so many organisations and events in Torbay would cease to exist without them. It really is that simple.

Rarely can you put a monetary value on volunteering, but we know that here in the Bay, the efforts of volunteers in large and small organisations save them a fortune – it must run into millions every year.

When the vaccination centre at the Riviera Centre closed its doors for the last time at the end of last month, we worked out (albeit on the back of an envelope) that our volunteers had delivered 120,000 person-hours over four years.

We needed 40 of them, six days a week, covering 60-plus hours, all of which allowed around half a million vaccines to be delivered. That is priceless.

But going further, we also worked out that if we had paid the 280 volunteers on the team every time they worked and only paid them the current living wage of £11.44 per hour, that equated to a staggering £1.3m.

Author, Sherry Anderson said: “Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.”

So back to the value of volunteering and as we don’t pay them then the true worth of volunteering must lie elsewhere. And the fact of the matter is there are as many reasons as there are people who step up.

It might be the friendships made, a career-enhancing progression, the feel-good factor, or the way it can make you feel healthier and happier. I could go on. However, it would be better to hear from some of the vaccination volunteers in their own words.

“I will miss volunteering at the Riviera Centre; it’s been great meeting people and making new friends…And also doing my bit for the Covid epidemic.”

“It is sad that it is winding down, but at least we all survived and ensured thousands & thousands of others did too. Proud to be part of it.”

“I never realised how much this would change my life, I made new friends, we had some good laughs, ate lots of cake and I am going to miss it so much.”

“I remember we had to wear those masks all the time, glasses steaming up, and all the rules we had to follow, but looking back we did our bit to protect others. I am going to miss everyone, but have some great memories.”

Their words speak volumes, and most of them having embarked on their volunteering journey are now exploring new opportunities. Why stop there?

Our first Community Champion Awards showed clearly how much the efforts of volunteers and community workers are appreciated; they represent, and here is the key word, an invaluable resource, and life would be poorer without them.

You, too, can join the growing army of volunteers who have realised that giving to others can also help protect their own mental and physical health.

Volunteering can reduce stress, help combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. It’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, but volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day. Many volunteering roles can flex around the individual.

Giving in even simple ways can help those in need (and sadly there are lots of people in that position in Torbay) and improve your health and happiness.

In the words of John F. Kennedy: “Every person can make a difference and everyone should try.”

If you want to get involved, it might be helping at your local sports club, staffing a charity shop or helping out at a coffee morning, to name but a few, a good place to start is at VolunteerTorbay.com. There you can fill in a short form to tell us a bit about yourself and we will take it from there.

Alternatively, you can put Torbay Together into your search engine, go to the Devon Connect website, and click on volunteering. There, you will find lots of opportunities from a wide range of charities. Or pick up the phone for a chat on the Torbay Community Helpline on 01803 446022.

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much,” Helen Keller.