Next generation of charity volunteers needed across South Yorkshire as veteran supporters retire
It's following the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic
The Royal Voluntary Service has issued an urgent call for people to take on volunteering roles in their communities as many long-standing supporters retire.
The charity is asking younger recruits, many of whom volunteered during the pandemic, to continue in the long term.
According to the charity, younger people have much to gain from volunteering and it can be a powerful antidote to the lost experiences and personal struggles of the virus crisis.
Research by the RVS among 18 to 24-year-olds suggested half say the pandemic has affected their mental health, with issues such as a loss in confidence and lack of work-related skills.
Stephen King from Rotherham Hospice believes those who help out end up benefitting in the long term:
"We have a number of younger volunteers at the hospice. What we've noticed is that the longer they spend with us, the more their confidence grows.
"They get to spend time with people that have retired who've had really exciting careers and can share their experience.
"It also helps young people to build up their CV so they're more employable in future. They can help out in retail, fundraising or even on the wards with us.
"We really rely on our volunteers at Rotherham Hospice. It also helps our community become more cohesive, as it brings together a range of different age groups and demographics."
We also asked Mr. King about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic at Rotherham Hospice:
"Sadly, a lot of volunteers have passed away during the last 18 months and we've also got a few who've got too old to carry on helping us out.
"I also think life has got a lot busier for people as things have started opening up again, so we're really looking to boost how many volunteers we actually have.
"We're very grateful to everyone who's able to give up their time to help us."