Chris Parker, the Head of Volunteering, shares his message of appreciation for volunteers as we celebrate Volunteers' Week.
I've recently been thinking about those moments in our lives that we never forget. Core memories. Moments with meaning. We can often remember, like it was yesterday, exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news break of significant global events, or things we thought we’d never see in our lifetime. For me, there are many but one I love to remind myself of often is the moment ‘Games Makers’, an incredible group of volunteers, received the biggest and loudest round of applause during the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony.
But many of our moments with meaning are deeply personal - it’s those times of celebration, special memories with the people you love, milestones and achievements. It is also moments of sadness or when you receive some difficult news. Throughout our lifetimes, these meaningful moments become a vital part of the tapestry of our lives.
Every day, we hear stories of how volunteering can represent a proud part of your personal tapestry. At Macmillan, we recognise and celebrate each and every one of those stories. This week, we join thousands of charities and voluntary organisations in celebrating Volunteers’ Week, recognising and sharing gratitude for the meaningful contribution volunteers make across the UK, and shining a light on just some of those incredible stories you tell us.
Stay tuned for updates across our social media channels and website as we share more inspiring stories, heartfelt quotes, and messages of gratitude to celebrate our 11,000 incredible volunteers this Volunteers’ Week. We’re also excited to launch our 2025 Thanks to You Awards programme.
“ I love Volunteers' Week as it is a chance for us all to celebrate the amazing contribution of all the fantastic volunteers at Macmillan. Volunteering really matters. It never ceases to amaze me how our volunteers do whatever it takes to ensure we can reach more people living with cancer, no matter who they are.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for every moment given by a volunteer because every moment makes a real difference.”
- Carrol Pollock, Chair of Macmillan’s UK Volunteer Forum.
As volunteers, you create moments with meaning that not only form a part of your own personal tapestry, but often for those that you support too.
That may be as a Macmillan Buddy, providing emotional support for someone on their cancer journey, or as our fundraising events volunteers, creating LOUD moments of cheer and encouragement.
You create moments with meaning in your local communities, representing Macmillan or supporting our Information and Support Centres and local hospitals. You share your skills and experience in a variety of meaningful ways, whether that be reviewing our cancer information content, sharing your experiences as part of our Cancer Voices community, UK Volunteer Forum, Volunteer Voice Network and Online Community.
We also have those who give their time in their place of work as a ‘Macmillan Neighbour’ or Cancer Community Meet Up host, and people who help write cards and distribute leaflets. Then we have skilled volunteers supporting specialist teams across Macmillan including IT, Legal, Trusts and Foundations, and Macmillan Quality Environment Mark Assessors who help to ensure cancer environments are welcoming and friendly spaces for people with cancer.
And the list could go on.
When you consider all those moments with meaning that are created through the generosity of people giving their time and talents in support of others, you realise that this meaningful tapestry connects and impacts the lives of so many people living with cancer, and that is indeed a moment to be celebrated.
And inspiring and creating these moments for people with cancer matter more than ever.
At a time when there are almost 3.5 million people living with cancer in the UK – a number that is continuing to rise - we recognise that Macmillan can’t reach everyone on its own. It needs us all to work together, and that includes the vital support of our amazing volunteers.
Across Macmillan’s new strategy, which so many of you helped us shape, you will see there is huge opportunity for the kindness and resoluteness of volunteers to play an important part in helping us achieve our mission, particularly in helping us to connect to communities, including those we know are likely to have worse experiences and outcomes of cancer simply because of who they are or where they live.
Macmillan has a proud 114-year history of volunteering, and our new strategy will see us need to grow our volunteering efforts even further, creating even more moments with meaning in support of people living with cancer.
So, as you reflect on your own moments with meaning in your life, please know, just like the Games Makers in 2012, you are getting the loudest and longest cheer from everyone here at Macmillan.
Happy Volunteers Week.
Chris Parker, Head of Volunteering