Volunteers smile and extra hands 'invaluable'
BBC"It's about giving something back to the community."
Pete Eddy, recently retired, is a volunteer with the Friends of the Royal Cornwall Hospital and spoke to the BBC about volunteering as part of the first ever Make a Difference Day.
On Friday BBC Local Radio marks the day as part of National Volunteers Week, aiming to "shine a spotlight on the extraordinary impact of volunteering".
Eddy said he would talk to people on the ward and it was "nice to give something to them, whether it be just a little chat, a smile, or to sell something off the trolley".
'Range of people'
He encouraged anyone thinking about volunteering to take part.
"If you've got time to spare, it's just meeting people... you just feel you're giving something back."
Ella Stracey, chief strategy officer at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said the volunteers were "exceptionally important" to the workforce.
"They really help the patients and... also the staff really appreciate the extra pairs of hands, that smile, that cup of tea so it's just invaluable."
She added the volunteers were "a diverse range of people" of all ages and all walks of life.
"If there's people out there thinking about giving it a go I just urge them to get in touch and I'm sure you'll be supported to find something that really suits you," she said.
Vic Hibbert is a volunteer at YMCA Community Garden in Honicknowle in Plymouth and won the green award at the Make A Difference Awards in 2025.
He said the garden was developed by a group of 11 volunteers and supplies fruit and vegetables for a foodbank.
Volunteers there have a range of skill sets from different jobs including one who was an ex gardener and one who was a carpenter.
Hibbert said they didn't get a lot of young people volunteering bit it made an impact on their lives for the ones who did.
"I'd have to say the young people we've had have been very shy when they start and very wary of mixing with older people, but by the end of it they're sat with us having a cup of tea talking about everything going.
"It's given them more confidence I think."
Marie-Louisa Niehus, who has been volunteering at the community garden for four years, said she started volunteering because she enjoyed gardening.
"I have only a very small front yard garden... but I do like that we are growing food here, and I also like that it goes to the food bank so people have some fresh produce," she said.
She added: "You need to find what you really are passionate about because if you want to spend your time... you need to have fun and enjoy what you are doing.
"Otherwise you won't do it and you won't come around."
