In praise of volunteers

Volunteers can bring a friend for free at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in celebration of a special week.

During National Volunteers’ Week (June 1-9), all the Garden’s volunteers are being urged to show off the good work they do to their friends and family and take advantage of this special “Plus One” facility when they show their volunteer badge.

The Garden is fortunate to have a band of more than 150 volunteers who have given invaluable help since before the Garden opened in 2000. From buggy driving, tour guiding, gardening, photographing, office work, leaflet drops and helping out with lambing, the role of a volunteer can be as varied or focused as the volunteer wants it to be. Some volunteers can only help seasonally or for an afternoon a month; others have weekly routines or can only work weekends.

The Garden’s volunteer co-ordinator Jane Down said: “Volunteers are often the unsung heroes of organisations and work extremely hard behind the scenes to make sure that a visitor’s experience to the Botanic Garden is outstanding. It is very appropriate that Volunteers Week gives us the opportunity to thank them for this work. The range of tasks and activities that volunteers do is amazing, and they show a real enthusiasm and passion for the Garden.”

Volunteer Bob Andrews, from Llanddarog, near Carmarthen, who helps out in a variety of roles – from envelope stuffing to lambing – said: “The Garden is a very special place. My wife Cyndi and I like to do our bit; we think it’s just such a fabulously worthy cause. It is also nice to think we contribute – even in our own small way – to what is such a brilliant place, enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world.”

* Volunteers’ Week is a national celebration of volunteers and volunteering which takes place every year. Volunteers’ Week plays a huge part in raising the profile of the millions of volunteers who regularly contribute to the community, while inspiring others to get involved too.