Volunteers’ Week runs from June 3-9, 2024 and national healthcare charity Sue Ryder is marking the week by saying a huge thank you to their volunteers.

With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to hit hard, now more than ever, charities rely on the support of dedicated volunteers.

In the last year, Sue Ryder volunteers have supported the charity’s retail shops to contribute over £17 million to deliver end-of-life care and bereavement services and given over 1.3 million volunteer hours.

Unfortunately, the charity is seeing around a 10 per cent increase in the total costs to keep palliative care services running and without the support of its retail volunteer team, it simply could not operate.

“Despite these challenging times, our retail volunteers have continued to stand by us,” said Stuart Mitchell, Volunteer and Community Manager for Retail and Support Services at Sue Ryder.

“We want to recognise the fantastic contribution they make, by offering every opportunity for them to progress and develop in their role. We have fantastic lead volunteer opportunities nationwide, and in the last year, 68 volunteers have taken on paid positions at Sue Ryder. Not only are our volunteers making a huge, positive impact on people’s lives, they play a crucial role in strengthening our organisation.

“Sue Ryder is committed to making volunteering a rewarding, inclusive and empowering experience for everybody. We would like to appeal to any of your readers who would like to find out more about joining our team.  No matter how much time you have, we would love to hear from you.”

To make a difference as a Sue Ryder volunteer, visit: www.sueryder.org/Volunteer for more information.