PHOTO GALLERY: Hundreds join Rotherham volunteers celebration

The annual walk, organised by Voluntary Action Rotherham, celebrates the vital role of the borough’s 49,000-strong army of volunteers.

Helping Hands is a group of eight fundraising women who met while working for Rotherham Hospice and now support the Broom Road charity, among others including Lost Chord.

Group member Jill Venables said: “We just made £2,000 for motor-neurone disease with a 60s night in Thurcroft. 

“We chose that because my brother-in-law had MND and died on Christmas Day last year.”

Fellow volunteer Kathleen Moxon said: “I lost my husband and doing this group just keeps you going. 

“It’s lovely just to get together, as well as being able to help different causes.”

Jill added: “Next we are trying to raise £30,000 for Rotherham Breast Cancer Care. 

“A few years back, we had a gold collection. That went really well, we made thousands and I’d like to do that again. 

“Most women will have an odd earring, having lost the one, or other little bits and bobs.

“You’d be surprised at the number of wedding rings we got from people who had got divorced!”

Volunteering at the volunteers event itself - as route marshals and helping with refreshments at the Minster on Tuesday - was a team of nine from law firm Irwin Mitchell. 

Solicitor Emma Reid said: “We’ve done it for the last three years. Everyone gets two volunteer days a year because we’re really keen on community engagement.”

Kerry McGrath, VAR training and development co-ordinator, said: “The walk and our Community Achievement Awards are really the only times when all the volunteers are together.

“People have all sorts of different motivations for volunteering and today is a reminder of the contribution they make to our vibrant voluntary and community sector. The feedback we get is fantastic.”