Volunteering in 2022, ‘every little helps’
January is traditionally a time for change, a time for looking forward and making plans for how you might like the coming year to be different from the one that we have just left behind.
It can feel as though we are at the mercy of big events going on around us, that we have little to no control over where we end up. Sometimes this is true – on a grand scale for example we can’t do anything about the pandemic, or climate change, not alone; but we can take some ownership of things like our own wellbeing and happiness and even the wellbeing and happiness of those around us.
Right now there are people starting diets, attempting ‘Dry January’, or signing up to a gym, and if you are one of those people I wish you the very best of luck! But there are smaller steps that you can take, steps that won’t cost you anything, that won’t take up much of your time, that won’t even, in the long run, take that much effort, to make life a little bit better and bring a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment that you won’t get in many other places.
Now you’d expect me to say volunteering because that is after all my job, but sometimes that word has baggage; it can feel stuffy and formal and rigid. Yes, there are processes involved, some hoops to jump through, but ultimately volunteering is just a word for helping, and you can help in an infinite number of different ways.
Many organisations across the district need donations, whether money to help them continue running, or goods to be distributed to people in need. You can also share your time, your skills, and your energy with them through volunteering, but something that all voluntary organisations have in common is community and you don’t need to be formal to help your community. Check in with your neighbours. Give someone five or ten minutes of your time to listen to them or have a conversation. Ask someone how they are. These little gifts of attention can build into something huge and help to make life better for us all.
If you are interested in volunteering, we can help. Click here to start.
From everyone at Lancaster District CVS – very best wishes for 2022.
