“Everyone has been friendly, and I knew early on that I wanted to keep helping out, after completing the volunteering section of my Duke of Edinburgh Award. I like doing something useful and productive with my time, supporting such a great charity. However, I also feel I get a lot from it personally. Sometimes I lack confidence, and this is a way of building my social skills, by talking to different people of all ages. It’s giving me important life skills that will hopefully help in the future, and it’s also a nice thing to put on my CV.”

“I was a bit nervous to start with, but those nerves quickly disappeared, mainly because everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I didn’t feel out of place, and it’s nice being around older, more knowledgeable people, because I spend my whole week with friends and people my own age. It’s such a friendly environment, and I feel I can make a difference, just by giving an hour of my time. It flies past, and, by the time I go home, I feel I’ve done something worthwhile and productive to help others.”