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Volunteering

By Annabelle Martin, our guest blogger and member of our Lived Experience Panel, Voices for a Brighter Future.

 

 

Hello wonderful people. It’s December!!

Which means: Short days, Long cold nights, the festive spirit being everywhere!! However it also means… Struggling to get presents, buy food or feeling lonely at this time of year. So to you amazing people reading this who can and want to, here’s something that can help you during the winter months and an early start to 2026 New Year Resolutions: Volunteering!

When I was a child every year around Christmas my primary school would do Shoebox Appeals to help children who were living below the poverty line and that made sure they would get presents on Christmas Day. So that’s one of the ways people can help each other.

Other volunteer ideas during the Christmas period are: volunteering at Age UK to help the elderly feel less alone during Christmas, working at soup kitchens to help feed the homeless, helping with Crisis – a charity which helps young homeless people all across the UK – and lastly we have food banks which more and more people are turning to with the cost of living and rising bills crisis. The Colchester foodbank is the busiest foodbank in Essex so the more help they get, the more people who will be able to have food over Christmas. 

So that’s how volunteering can help others, but here’s how it can help you too.

Volunteering has helped me build my confidence, feel inspired about what’s next, and gain skills that I can use not just for myself, but for the people around me as well. It’s also a really powerful way to tackle loneliness. You’re part of a team, you’re talking, connecting, laughing, and slowly you start to feel that sense of purpose that comes from helping others.

That’s why I’d really encourage you to think about volunteering for your local mental health charity, Mid and North East Essex Mind. I’ve volunteered at events like the Colchester Stampede and the Time to Talk Day Match Day Takeover at Colchester Football Club, and every time I’ve come away feeling proud, included and reminded that I matter too. As a blog writer, it’s also been amazing to share stories and help raise awareness in a way that feels meaningful to me.

If you’re thinking about volunteering, just remember this golden rule: treat others the way you would want to be treated – with love, humility and kindness.

I know this year has been rough. Honestly, it’s had more bad than good for me as well, so if you’re struggling or have been struggling, please know I understand. But as we move towards 2026, I’m choosing to hope – hope that things might slowly improve and get better for us all.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

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