Emma Pritchard

They contribute valuable time, energy, and skills, and help enrich lives throughout their hometowns and beyond.

And across the Clarence Valley, they are highly sought after, with local op shops, charities, organisations, support services, RFS brigades, SES crews, and community groups, calling for more people to volunteer.

“Volunteers are the heart and soul of communities around the country,” said Mark Pearce, CEO of Volunteering Australia.

“They engage with their communities across a broad range of formal and informal settings.

“There are so many benefits which can be gained through volunteering, from boosting mental health, self-esteem, and confidence, to combating loneliness, learning new skills, and broadening social activities.

“It’s a very meaningful occupation, and I would recommend anyone look into volunteering roles within their local communities.”

During her recent visit to the Clarence Valley, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC, KC, Governor of NSW, expressed her admiration for volunteers.

“A community without volunteers is a community without a heart, particularly with our first responder services where they put their life in danger for us, it’s just another level of volunteering,” she said.

“The whole notion of volunteering is such a wonderful part of the Australian psyche, and it’s something that I think we really need to hang onto and to promote,” she said.