International Volunteer Day 2025: Celebrating every contribution that makes a difference
Published 1 December 2025
Celebrated globally on 5 December, International Volunteer Day (IVD) is an annual moment to recognise, thank and celebrate volunteers everywhere. It shines a light on the dedication, compassion and commitment of individuals who give their time and talents to make a positive difference.
This year’s theme, “Every contribution matters” reminds us that meaningful change happens when people come together – each person offering something unique, each action adding up to something extraordinary. It also marks the countdown to International Volunteer Year 2026, encouraging communities everywhere to embrace the transformative power of volunteering.
At Making Space, we’re proud to join this global celebration and honour the incredible volunteers who enrich our services, empower our communities and transform lives every single day. Volunteers are the heart of our organisation, champions of kindness who make everything we do stronger, more connected and more compassionate.
Celebrating Our Volunteers
Earlier this year, during Volunteers’ Week (2–8 June 2025), we were delighted to celebrate our volunteer community at our annual Volunteer Celebration Event, hosted at Doncaster Racecourse. More than 60 volunteers from across the country joined us for a joyful day of gratitude, connection and celebration.
Volunteers attended from a wide range of services, including St Helens Family Support, Rotherham Dementia Carers Support, We All Are One Doncaster Carers Support Group, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Carer Support Service, Bolton Carers Support, Warrington Connect Hub, The Making Change Group and Stockport Open Door.
The day was filled with warmth and laughter -a delicious three-course lunch, a lively Dolly Parton tribute act, and even a surprise performance from our Deputy CEO, Phil Orton, who joined “Dolly” on stage for a memorable rendition of Islands in the Stream. You can read more and see the full gallery of photos here.
One of the most inspiring parts of the event was our Volunteer Celebration Tree, covered in handwritten messages from volunteers, each reflecting what volunteering means to them. A few highlights included:
“Volunteering means giving your time to a worthy cause…being friendly, thoughtful and including people in activities.”
“My volunteering is to make people feel safe and happy; people tell me how comfortable they feel around me.”
“I enjoy making new friends, meeting people, improving my skills, and I feel supported all the way.”
“It gives purpose, pride and a feeling of being valued.”
“Volunteering means pride, being useful, and taking on new challenges. The training provided gives purpose and helps me feel valued and involved in something important. It’s rewarding, empowering and offers practical experience.”
The Celebration Tree now has a permanent home at the Garside Building in our Warrington head office, a daily reminder of the compassion and community at the heart of Making Space.
Highlighting volunteer achievements
We are continually inspired by the dedication and impact of our volunteers. This year saw several stand-out achievements across our Making Space community.
Alan Taylor – Unpaid Carer Award Winner, Great British Care Awards (GBCA), Yorkshire & Humberside Region
Rotherham’s Alan Taylor was named the winner of the Unpaid Carer Award at the 2025 GBCA regional finals. Alan cares full-time for his wife, who lives with early onset dementia, and despite the personal sacrifices this requires, Alan still finds time to lift others. He regularly attends Making Space’s dementia cafés and CT4U days, offering encouragement and companionship to fellow carers. A talented artist, he donates his artwork to raise funds for the service, and when possible, attends Andy’s Man Club to support other men experiencing isolation or emotional strain.
Joyce Williams – Volunteer of the Year, Making Space Colleague Awards 2025
At 80 years young, Joyce continues to be a shining light within the We All Are One Doncaster Carers Support Group, which she has supported for more than two decades. Joyce plays an essential role in the group’s welcoming atmosphere – greeting new members with warmth, offering one-to-one reassurance for those feeling overwhelmed, and regularly visiting carers at home to check in, share a friendly chat or provide comfort during difficult times. She is also instrumental in organising and supporting community events, helping to bring people together and ensuring that carers from all backgrounds feel included, valued and uplifted. Her empathy and endless positivity make her an anchor for carers seeking friendship, encouragement and understanding.
We also extend heartfelt congratulations to volunteers shortlisted at this year’s Colleague Awards:
- Lynn Smith – Lynn volunteers at the cafés and the Carers Time for You Day at the Rotherham Dementia Carer Support Service. She encourages people living with dementia to take part in fun and meaningful activities, helping them stay active, engaged and confident in using their skills.
- Christine Bell – Christine volunteers with the St Helens Family Carer Support Service, using her own lived experience to support people caring for a loved one affected by alcohol or drug addiction. She offers a compassionate listening ear during difficult times and helps set up peer support groups to bring carers together.
Your contributions bring comfort, hope and connection to the people we support – thank you.
Investing in Volunteers Accreditation
In May 2025, we were incredibly proud to be awarded the Investing in Volunteers (IiV) accreditation—the UK’s national quality standard for volunteer management.
This three-year accreditation recognises our commitment to providing high-quality, meaningful and supportive volunteer experiences. It reflects the voices of volunteers, who shared their insights during the assessment and affirmed how valued, supported and connected they feel at Making Space, with one volunteer sharing:
“I love being here. I just love it! We came all the time when my husband was alive – now it’s payback time.”
Our year-long journey to accreditation involved 34 volunteers and colleagues, interactive workshops, assessments and improvements that strengthened our approach to volunteering at every level. You can read more here.
Co-Production in action: Winners of the Care Innovation Challenge 2025
One of our proudest achievements this year was winning the Care Innovation Challenge 2025 with the co-produced Making It Real G.A.M.E, developed with volunteers from our Making Change Group.
This creative tool transforms the Making It Real framework into an interactive board game – bringing co-production to life through conversation, reflection and shared ideas. It supports teams to explore what’s working well, what could be improved, and how to deliver more person-centred care.
Our team – colleagues and volunteers working together -impressed the judges with their innovative spirit and commitment to lived-experience leadership. As volunteer Ben, who helped showcase the game, said:
“I loved being part of this process and talking to people about the game and its future potential.”
This project is a powerful example of what happens when lived experience, creativity and collaboration come together - and why every contribution matters. Find out more about co-production here.
Employee volunteering – businesses giving back
We’re fortunate to have the support of several businesses who volunteered with us this year, helping enhance our environments and brighten the spaces people call home, some recent highlights include:
- Kids Planet – supporting a garden project at Ashwood Residential Service, with more work planned for next year.
- Jaguar Land Rover – transforming the patio area at Rivacre for residents and staff to enjoy.
- VCG Group – painting the summer house and benches at Stockport Connect Hub, with plans to return in the spring.
To explore corporate volunteering opportunities email [email protected]. For fundraising volunteering contact [email protected] or click here.
Toni Pike, National Volunteers Co-ordinator at Making Space, shared a message of gratitude:
Volunteers’ Day is a chance to celebrate the incredible difference our volunteers make every day. Whether it’s befriending, peer support, helping at dementia cafés, driving, running activities or supporting with admin and fundraising, their time, skills and lived experience enrich the lives of the people we support, their carers and our staff.
We’re supported by a dedicated community of volunteers across Making Space, and each one plays a vital role. Many volunteers use their own experiences to support others, gaining skills, confidence and meaningful connections in return.
Our volunteers are essential to Making Space. They are the heartbeat of our charity. Their selfless dedication enables us to make a real difference, and we simply couldn’t do it without them.
The ripple effect of volunteering
Volunteers aren’t just helping others; they’re strengthening communities and shaping a better future for everyone.
- Building stronger communities – Volunteers unite people around shared goals, strengthen networks and provide essential support for those who need it most.
- Enhancing wellbeing – Volunteering boosts confidence, reduces isolation and creates purpose, connection and joy.
- Developing skills and experience – From leadership and communication to creativity and teamwork, volunteers gain skills that help in all areas of life.
- Inspiring others – Every volunteer story encourages someone else to take action—creating a ripple effect of positive change.
Make a difference – join us
At Making Space, volunteers do far more than make a difference in people’s lives – they help shape the very future of our organisation. Their insight, dedication and lived experience are central to our approach to co-production, where volunteers and staff work side by side, influencing decisions and creating meaningful change together.
We’re proud to have 110 Co-production Champions – people we support who help drive co-production locally within their services – and 81 volunteers who give their time, skills and compassion across the organisation. Together, they ensure lived experience stays at the heart of everything we do.
Our volunteers contribute in many important ways, including:
- Strengthening services by shaping Quality & Improvement projects and developing resources such as Health Mind Packs.
- Using lived experience to support the selection of employees and Trustees.
- Co-producing events, including helping design and deliver the Our People Awards.
- Peer reviewing services, offering valuable perspectives to help maintain high standards of care.
- Sharing stories and insights through newsletters, social media and community activities.
Their involvement ensures that the voices of people with lived experience guide our work, our decisions and our future direction.
If you or someone you know is looking to give back, meet new people, gain skills or be part of something meaningful, we’d love to welcome you. Explore our current volunteer opportunities.
To every volunteer at Making Space – thank you. Your time, compassion and kindness make our communities stronger, kinder and more connected. Every contribution matters.