Volunteers Week 2025 began on the 2^{nd of} June. It’s an important week where the value of volunteers can be truly recognised. We all know the powerful impact that volunteers provide: Without them many VCSE organisations would be unable to deliver the innovative and creative services they do. Whether it’s as a volunteer Trustee, or an individual working within a service, the role they perform is immense.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every volunteer that assists and helps across West Northamptonshire.

I would also like to provide a further special thanks to my volunteer Trustees for their support, and for those volunteers that work closely with VIN.

Volunteering is not easy: It requires time, commitment, and empathy. With a cost-of-living crisis well and truly embedded into UK society and people working longer hours than ever before, it takes a special kind of person to go above and beyond.

We must also remember that volunteering is not free: It requires organisations to think about how and why they involve volunteers and spend time working with them as they uncover their own personal journey. It can be resource heavy on occasions, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

So, let’s celebrate this week and the volunteers that support us.