During Volunteers’ Week 2025, our Head of Business Services, Alison, reflects on the importance of volunteers and how they undertake many different roles to support Cambridgeshire ACRE. She outlines the impact that volunteers have and recalls her own experiences of giving up her time for others.

 

At Cambridgeshire ACRE, we believe in the power of local people. Our vision is that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s rural communities should be places where people flourish and connections grow. None of that is possible without volunteers. They are at the heart of rural change.

Whether they’re facilitating community events, supporting local health and wellbeing, or helping conserve our precious landscapes, volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. They don’t just support our work; they shape it, challenge it and help it grow.

 

Supporting communities through local action

Cambridgeshire ACRE has always worked alongside individuals and community groups to bring about lasting change. One of the most effective ways we do this is by supporting volunteers to grow their capacity and capabilities. We provide training, guidance and resources to ensure people feel confident and equipped to take the lead in their own communities. And when people feel empowered to act locally, real transformation happens.

 

 

The many faces of volunteering at Cambridgeshire ACRE

Volunteers contribute across nearly all of our programmes. Their roles are diverse, but they share a common thread: helping rural communities thrive. Here are just a few of the ways volunteers are making a difference:

• Community Hub Volunteers: Our 38 community hubs are supported by 257 dedicated volunteers. These individuals take on a variety of roles, from organisers and welcomers to refreshment providers and local promoters. They create welcoming spaces for residents to come together, connect and access vital services – all within walking distance of home. One regular hub-goer, when talking about the people who lead the hub he attends, told me:

“These people have become like family me; they’ve literally saved my life. I was so lonely before this.”

• Digital Champions: Trained and supported through our partnerships with Connecting Cambridgeshire and Digital Unite, these volunteers support their peers to develop digital skills. From helping someone get online safely to navigating a new device, they make sure no one is left behind in an increasingly digital world.
• Community Building Peer Mentors and Hallmark Assessors: These are experienced community building trustees who give their time to support others managing village halls and local facilities. They offer peer support, mentoring and accredited checks to help ensure these vital buildings remain safe, welcoming and well-run. One of our peer mentors recently commented:

“I received such a lot of help myself from Cambridgeshire ACRE that it’s nice to be able to pass on some of my acquired wisdom to others in the same situation.”

• RiverCare Volunteers: These teams of volunteers are champions of their local environment, litter-picking along the waterways of March and Ramsey respectively to keep them clean, safe and wildlife-friendly. When the litter-picks are underway, our staff just wait for the call to go up… “You’ll never guess what I’ve just found…” From Lego figures to car wash brushes, 30-year-old crisp packets to cat collars, our litter pickers have seen it all!
• Anglian Waterways Volunteers: Volunteering at the locks in Houghton, Godmanchester and St Ives, these individuals work in pairs on weekends and bank holidays, supporting boaters, operating locks and providing a friendly face for visitors. They help people enjoy our rivers safely while ensuring waterways are respected and cared for. One of our regular volunteers said:

“It has been more fun than we could have imagined. Some boaters are frightened of using the locks, so we like to make them feel confident and relaxed about using one and being on the water. To tell you the truth, we are constantly surprised at how genuinely pleased boaters are with our help.”

• Fenland Community Cancer Champions: These volunteers help expand the reach of our cancer awareness work. They promote events, share information and foster open conversations about cancer across Fenland’s communities, reducing stigma and increasing support. In their first 3 months of operating, they spoke to over 80 people raising their awareness of the signs and symptoms to watch out for.
• Nature Volunteers for New Life on the Old West: These conservation volunteers help us protect and monitor the unique fenland landscape. Over the last five years, they’ve helped create ponds, hedgerows and meadows – and recorded key wildlife and environmental indicators to track the project’s success.

 

 

Volunteering beyond our projects

Not all the volunteers we work with wear a Cambridgeshire ACRE badge. Across the county, we rely on the time and goodwill of many others whose work intersects with ours.

From parish councillors and community leaders to trustees of village halls, these individuals form the fabric of rural life. Their unpaid contributions ensure that local facilities remain open, decisions reflect local priorities and the unique character of our rural communities is preserved. We’re proud to work alongside them and are constantly inspired by their dedication. By way of example, the county’s village hall trustees spend over 700,000 hours each year running their facilities. If you cost this time up at the average wage for the county it equates to £8.6m [see our full story on this]!

 

What volunteering means to us

Personally, I’ve always found working with volunteers one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. Volunteers bring such a breadth of life experience, knowledge and creativity. They ask important questions and often prompt us to think differently. This diversity of thought helps us grow as a charity and ensures the work we do remains relevant and grounded in what communities actually want and need.

The volunteers who run our network of Community Hubs continue to humble me with their continued efforts to bring their community together. One volunteer told me:

“As a widow of 4 years and retiree unexpectedly at 57 years, being a volunteer has enabled me to feel part of my local community and I feel I have received as much as I give. I now know more people on my street and in my village making me feel less isolated as well as useful. Volunteering here is a wonderful, shared experience. We’ve tapped into a reservoir of goodwill, compassion and generosity that I hadn’t previously realised existed in the village.”

I’ve also volunteered myself – as a bailiff and administrator for my local angling club – so I understand the joys and challenges from both sides. I’ve always enjoyed the chance to chat with people who I wouldn’t normally meet and to understand what draws them to this part of the world. The downside can be the health & safety bureaucracy and the paperwork involved but then that’s part of keeping everyone safe and well looked after, so you just take a deep breath and push through it! My own experiences have shaped the way I now work with our volunteers. I know how important it is to feel seen, respected and supported when giving your time.

 

 

Thinking about volunteering?

If you’re considering volunteering, whether with Cambridgeshire ACRE or another local organisation, my top tips would be:

1. Decide what you want to get out of the experience. Do you want to learn new skills, make new friends, or contribute to a specific cause?
2. Research and find the right organisation to volunteer with. Explore websites like Volunteer Cambs to find opportunities local to you.
3. Start small and be open to new experiences. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
4. Be a ‘good’ volunteer. Be reliable and punctual. Be a good team player. Respect those you work alongside.

 

We all lead busy lives and it’s easy to worry about the time and commitment involved. But volunteering isn’t just something nice to do for others, it’s often deeply fulfilling on a personal level too, making new connections and learning new skills. Whether you’ve got an hour a week or a few days a month, your time can make a real difference.

At Cambridgeshire ACRE, we work hard to ensure your contribution is valued, your experience is positive and your role is one that suits your interests and availability – all in a pressure-free environment. Volunteering with us means joining an enthusiastic, friendly and committed team, all working towards the same goal: making rural Cambridgeshire the best it can be.

 

A final thank you

To all our volunteers – past, present and future – thank you for your selfless commitment in giving your time to support us. You are the lifeblood of our work and without your dedication, creativity and kindness, we simply couldn’t help the number of people that we do.

 

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering opportunities at Cambridgeshire ACRE, visit www.cambsacre.org.uk and find many inspiring stories like this one by Lisa, our Community Development Officer, or alternatively, get in touch with our team. We’d love you to join us and make a difference in our rural communities.