This week is Volunteers' Week, a time when charities across the UK show their appreciation for the contribution volunteers make to their organisation. But I like to think, at Citizens Advice North Herts (CANH), we celebrate and value our volunteers all year round.

Our volunteers come from all walks of life, offering their own skills and experiences. They might be students gaining work experience, people looking to build their confidence after a period of unemployment, or retirees who want to give something back to their community. Whatever their background, they all have one thing in common: a desire to help others.

Volunteering provides opportunities to learn new skills, make new friends, and feel part of a community, as well as gain confidence and improve their wellbeing. For many of our volunteers, it also offers a sense of purpose and satisfaction that comes from knowing they are making a real difference to the lives of local residents.

At CANH, we have various volunteering opportunities. From advisers to receptionists, administrators to campaigners, there's sure to be a role suitable. Or if bite-sized volunteering tasks are more your thing, become a community champion by sharing social media posts to raise awareness of the work we do. Most roles can be done either from our office, remotely or a mixture of both, providing a truly flexible volunteering offer.

We talk a lot about our values at Citizens Advice North Herts; client-centred, caring, enterprising, collaborative and professional, our volunteers demonstrate them every day.

Roanne Mangham, one of our Advice Team Leaders, sums it up, "Without our wonderful volunteers, our clients and their families may not be fed, such a fundamental issue that we help with"

Without our volunteers, over 5,000 people in our local community last year wouldn't have been helped, and with the cost of living crisis happening, we are only going to get busier.

We couldn't do what we do without them. They are the heart of our organisation, giving their time and skills. So, this Volunteers' Week, we’d like to say an extra special thank you to each and every one of them.

If you're interested in finding out more about volunteering with us and helping your community, please get in touch. We'd love to hear from you! Email volunteering@nhdcab.org.uk, telephone 01462 688000 or visit our website https://www.northhertscab.org.uk/volunteer/