Jason McCartney: Find out for yourself the rewards of volunteering

This summer I set aside a full week so I could volunteer with local charities and community groups in my Colne Valley constituency. It was immensely rewarding, challenging and very enjoyable and I’ll now be doing it every summer.

It began with a morning of getting grubby maintaining the Meltham Greenway which is a bridleway along the old rail line from Huddersfield to Meltham. I joined a dozen volunteers digging, pruning and weeding. The volunteers, led by the irrepressible Mel Gibson, are out every day litter-picking and clearing dog fouling.

After a quick clean up, I spent the afternoon in the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice Shop on Lidget Street in Lindley. Charity shops have been coming in for some stick recently as other High Street traders feel the pinch but my eyes were really opened to the valuable fundraising role that charity shops play.

Sorting through the donation bags was exciting as designer items and unused clothes, still with tags on, flowed on to the table. Like many of the ladies who help out, I was drawn into buying something as I picked up an unworn summer short-sleeved shirt from River Island for just £3.

The shops now fully use the Gift Aid scheme with each item sold.

The next morning it was back into my wellies as I joined the National Trust volunteers.

After picking up the equipment from the store at Marsden railway station we were off up to Marsden Moor digging fence posts for fencing to keep sheep off the A62 Manchester Road. It was backbreaking work using pick axes to make the holes for the sturdy fence posts.

Chatting to the volunteers, they expressed their love of the physical activity mixed with stunning views and who could argue. They loved the fresh air, physical activity and comradeship. A few hours later we’d put up 100 metres of new fence which was immensely rewarding. I’ve been back since to admire our handywork.

Later in the week I helped out at the Kirkwood Hospice shop in Holmfirth, helped serve coffee and homemade cakes at the Huddersfield Mencap café and enjoyed a Friend to Friend activity lunch at the North Light Gallery on the outskirts of Huddersfield.

For few pounds, those who live on their own get picked up, have a tasty lunch and then a two-hour activity. It’s a great idea and much appreciated by those who attend.

I slotted in some time at the Waves Day Care Centre in Slaithwaite which I’d visited before. It’s a fun and funky stimulating day care centre for young adults. I think it should be the blueprint for all day care centres for young people.

As well as helping pick fresh vegetables and newly-laid eggs for lunch from their own garden, I found myself dancing and playing in a band with the young people who are loving it there. The staff are a mixture of paid and volunteers.

After a packed week I still managed to squeeze in a another garden project, this time with children from the Pakistani and Kashmiri community in Thornton Lodge followed by an afternoon at the Cafe 100 Youth Club in Holmfirth.

The motivation for volunteers getting involved varied greatly. For some it is a replacement for paid work as they’ve retired or taking a career break, others love the friendship and camaraderie while for some it is a personal commitment to a cause that may have come into their family circle.

Once the word gets out, there doesn’t seem to be a lack of willing volunteers. Both of the charity shops had rosters of 30 or so regular helpers with more wanting to be added to the list.

In this age of media cynicism, certain media folk love to deride David Cameron’s Big Society. I was interviewed on the radio recently where the host tried to suggest that as only one in 10 of us volunteer that isn’t many – but in a glass half-full way I’d say five million people volunteering is something to be celebrated.

Last month, I spoke in Parliament asking the Cabinet Office Minister if volunteering could be a key element of the National Citizens Service which is being rolled out for 16-year-olds across the country. He agreed.

While I was out volunteering, the riots were unfolding. The minority who looted and vandalised may have got the majority of media coverage, but I now know there are many more good people, of all ages and backgrounds, doing good things in our communities. If you doubt that, get out and see it for yourself. Go volunteering.