Volunteering at Christmas

Joyce Thompson, secretary of the Summerseat Cheer Fund in Bury, Greater Manchester, says there is nothing like the feeling she gets when, come January, the 'Thank You' cards start pouring in. 'We all like the sense of collective effort we have of working towards a worthwhile goal' says Thompson. 'It gives us a warm buzz.'

Together with a committee of 11 other locals. Joyce Thompson works year-round to raise fund to deliver luxury parcels to old and vulnerable villagers in the area, holding raffles, car boot sales, coffee mornings and pub quizzes. According to Thompson the key is to build up slowly. 'Don't be over-ambitious,' Thompson advises. 'Have limited aims at first. That way you can achieve something in the short-run and start to attract more people to get involved.'

Whatever you choose, Christmas volunteering is a great way to test the waters and see whether you enjoy it enough to volunteer year-round. If this is your plan, make sure you work out how much time you can reasonably give, and don't overstretch yourself. Like puppies, volunteering isn't just for Christmas. And once you've got the bug, you might feel compelled to build it more permanently into your life.

Tempted by volunteering? Why not find out more from iVillage's comprehensive Volunteering guide.