This latest piece about volunteering has been supplied by Ali Findlay. She has just retired from nearly 28 years of teaching in secondary schools. Ali is on a mission to find some of those places, people, events and hobbies that are often overlooked in Rugby’.

Last year, from November to December, I had the privilege of meeting the Rugby Christmas Cracker team in the pop-up café in the town centre.

Completely reliant on volunteers, Katie and her jovial workers succeeded in raising a whopping £14,000 for marginalised women in India and Nepal, to make their Christmas ‘present’ a happier place.

Two of my neighbours, who wish to be known as Chris P and Chris L, have also found volunteering to be both enjoyable and life-changing.

Volunteers take a walk on the wild side.

placeholder image — Volunteers take a walk on the wild side.

In 2016, they decided to support the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust by joining a group that maintains local woodlands.

Their Cock Robin project, which is still a thriving endeavour, involves litter-picking, laying hedges, cleaning ponds and bird boxes, creating play areas for children and keeping paths accessible for walkers- and their dogs.

These lovely ladies meet their dedicated team of 8 others every Monday morning, where they selflessly toil for free. They will keep doing this for as long as they can, as, in their words, it is ‘good for the soul’.

Much is learnt about species of flora and fauna; there is the annual joy of observing nesting moorhens and their chicks; plus, the growth of camaraderie with others leads to a great sense of well-being away from the turmoil of daily life.

Honestly, I have felt truly humbled by their commitment to community and passion for preserving the natural environment.

I shall definitely take a leaf from their book when writing the rest of mine.