This week is Volunteers Week and Somerset County Council is thanking all those who helped their communities over the past 12 months and highlighting the important role volunteers will play in the year ahead.

Volunteers have played a vital role in the emergency response to the Coronavirus pandemic whether helping people with food support, prescription deliveries or transport to doctors’ appointments, or assisting as marshals at Somerset’s vaccination centres.

And the results of these volunteers’ hard work speak for themselves. Somerset’s local authorities and partner organisations worked with 43 volunteer groups from across the county to deliver more than 500,000 meals and items of food to people who needed it over the past year.

Volunteers have played a key role as marshals supporting Somerset’s vaccination programme, which has now seen more than 605,000 Covid-19 vaccinations given. The success of the vaccination roll out has contributed to significant falls in infections, hospitalisations, and deaths from the virus.

Somerset County Council Leader Councillor David Fothergill said: “I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who have selflessly given up their time to help others over the past year. Their work has made a real difference in a difficult time.”

With society starting to reopen, volunteering offers an excellent opportunity for people who may feel anxious or hesitant about coming out of lockdown to gain new skills and confidence.

Somerset County Council offers a range of volunteering opportunities with SCC services, so people can find something that works for them.

For those who like getting outdoors there are roles our Rights of Way team; if you want to support children and young people then a role with Route 1 advocacy may be for you.

Other options include roles as school governors, minibus drivers, library volunteers, digital customer volunteers and lots more.

Cllr Fothergill continued: “Volunteering has been shown to have mental and physical health benefits and is a great way to meet new people, learn new skills and gain new experiences.

“Just as volunteering has played such a pivotal role in getting Somerset through the Covid-19 pandemic, it will also play a valuable part in the county’s recovery.”

For more information about volunteering opportunities with Somerset County Council services, visit: Somerset Volunteering | Volunteer opportunities in Somerset.

Further volunteering roles are also available through Spark Somerset: Home | Spark a Change.