Volunteering is good for your health and can banish loneliness in both old and young.

As social animals, connection and interaction with other people is vital to our wellbeing, but working from home, scattered friendship groups, retirement and lives lived increasingly online can make this difficult.

The answer to building strong social connections and creating a sense of shared purpose is however, well within people's grasp. Why not try volunteering?

West Devon Community and Voluntary Service - which helps find volunteers for local charities - reports that local organisations are desperately in need of support across a wide range of areas and skills.

Community engagement coordinator with West Devon CVS, Dawn Todd said: “Volunteering is proven to improve mental wellbeing through the social and community connectedness it creates. So, offering your skills to an organisation for just a few hours can make a big difference – to you and to them.”

One person who knows this well is Tavistock resident Pam Hoare.

Listening to Pam chatting with customers in the Tavistock branch of Devon Air Ambulance charity shop, you’d be forgiven for thinking the soon-to-be 90-year-old was 20 years younger.

Pam lost her husband eight months before the Covid-19 pandemic and was only just coming to terms with his loss when successive lockdowns meant she was stuck indoors on her own for months at a time.

“It was really isolating, so as soon as the lockdowns lifted, I knew I had to get out and start doing something,” Pam says.

So she approached Netty Packer, manager of the Devon Air Ambulance charity shop in Tavistock, about volunteering and was soon trained and operating the till.

“I do the dusting when it’s quiet and serve the customers. I like talking to people and coming in here every week gets me out of the house!” Pam says.

Nearly five years later and Pam has become something of an institution in the friendly shop, tucked off the main road on Market Street.

“I have my regulars,” she says, “People who come in very week to have a chat. Some are old friends and others are people who I’ve met since working here. It’s a real pick-me-up coming here and having a laugh with people.” “I’ve even had a cuddle with a celebrity since I’ve been working here,” Pam says, with a twinkle in her eye,.

“Sir Polo, the Tavistock Cat, who pops in on his way to and from the Tavistock Pet Emporium over the road.”

As Pam has discovered, volunteering is more than just a way to give back—it's a powerful tool for boosting your own happiness; bringing joy, purpose, and a sense of fulfilment to your life. I

If you have a few hours to spare and would like to find out more about different volunteer opportunities near you which match your skills and interests, then please contact [email protected]