We all need an advocate at some times in our lives. It helps to have someone around to make a difficult phone call, someone who can help write a letter or someone to go with you to a difficult meeting.

Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution that millions of volunteers make across the UK. To mark this event and thank their volunteers North West Locality staff organised an award ceremony and lunch for volunteers followed by a visit to the Tall Ship, Riverside.

There is good evidence that volunteering brings benefits to both the person volunteering and the people and organisations they support.  Volunteering means choosing to spend time unpaid doing something to help other people or groups, other than (or as well as) close relatives.