As the year draws to a close, December often brings a mix of warmth and reflection. For some, it’s a time of celebration and togetherness; for others, it can be a period of loneliness. At the Volunteer Centre, we chose to end the year by focusing on a simple but powerful act of connection: festive card-making.
Over the festive period, volunteers created more than 150 handmade cards for Sant’Egidio, to be shared at their Christmas Eve lunch, which they host every year to ensure that no one feels alone during Christmastime. Alongside our volunteers, colleagues from McBains also took part, filling each card with messages of warmth, care, and solidarity. At the heart of these sessions were three volunteers whose stories reflect the many ways volunteering connects people.
One volunteer shared that Christmas has been a lonely time for them in the past. Taking part in the cardmaking sessions gave them a chance to turn that experience into something positive – creating messages of kindness for others who might also be feeling isolated. For them, volunteering became a way to offer understanding and comfort where words are often hard to find.
Another volunteer, Favor, has been volunteering with us for 10 years, including supporting our communications work. Reflecting on the cardmaking sessions, she spoke about the joy of creating something tangible and meaningful, and about the sense of belonging she’s found through volunteering – feeling valued, supported, and able to contribute her skills in ways that matter:
When I started making the cards, I felt like a child. It set me free to create and express myself and simply release positive energy. This feel-good factor was heightened by the knowledge that the cards were being gifted to charitable causes and to people who would appreciate them. Ever better! As I made the cards, I imagined the smiles, love and warmth that the recipients would feel. Brilliant! Happy me, happy them, happy VCKC!
Guiding the sessions was Tery, who has volunteered with our core services team for over a year. Tery stepped forward to facilitate the workshops, gently guiding participants through each stage of the process. Many people arrived saying they “weren’t creative” or had no skills at all, but with Tery’s encouragement and reassurance, they left feeling proud of what they had made – and of themselves. She is excited to organise similar events in the future, celebrating key dates with the local community and using creativity to do so – spreading joy throughout the year.
Together, these three stories show that volunteering doesn’t look just one way. It can be quiet or confident, creative or supportive, spontaneous or long-term. What matters is the connection it creates – between people, across experiences, and throughout the year.
As we look ahead to the New Year, volunteering can be a meaningful resolution – not as a one-off act, but as an ongoing way to build community and reduce isolation. If you’re interested in getting involved, we invite you to browse our current volunteering opportunities and find a role that suits your interests, skills, and availability.
And if giving time isn’t possible right now, you can still make a difference by donating to VCKC. Your support helps us continue connecting volunteers with community projects, supporting partners, and creating spaces where kindness and connection can thrive – at Christmas and all year round.
We’re deeply grateful to everyone who took part in the festive cardmaking sessions, and to our partners who helped make them possible. Through the generosity of volunteers like Favor, Tery, and many others, this season became a reminder that small acts of care can have a lasting impact.
