My name is Rita Rogers, and I started volunteering 20 years ago after my daughter recovered from cancer. I decided to give something back to the community, and what could be better than volunteering?

I rang Sinclair house, and I started from there. I was there for 20 years.

After COVID, I went to Churchfields Nursing Home, where I now volunteer. On a Tuesday, I serve lunches. On Wednesday, I do table tennis in the morning, and then in the afternoon I attend a ‘singing for dementia’ class with the elderly, which is a lovely afternoon because we sing and we have musical instruments. On Thursdays, I'm a befriender to a gentleman on the telephone. I think volunteering is very important because it gives people pleasure and it helps them come out of themselves.

"I think it's very important that people volunteer and give their time. You can give money, that's easy, but organisations want your time and your personal involvement."