Ballymena's over 50 volunteers are ready for action!

They took part in the ‘One Good Reason Action Day’ at the Michelin Club and All Saints Parish Centre, enjoying a breakfast launch before getting to grips with volunteering.

Gardening, painting, paired reading with children in local primary schools and conservation work are just some of the volunteering opportunities available across various locations in Northern Ireland, including Ballymena.

The annual day is free of charge and is part of Volunteer Now’s One Good Reason campaign which encourages over 50s to give volunteering a try and to see first hand how beneficial, enjoyable and satisfying it can be both for them as an individual and for others within their community.

The campaign has been developed with the underlying thinking that we can all find plenty of reasons not to do something – but when we find one good reason to do something we usually do it!

Wendy Osborne, CEO of Volunteer Now said; “We hope that men and women over the age of 50 in Northern Ireland will embrace this opportunity to have a great day out whilst taking up the challenge to make a real difference in their local community.

“Volunteering is good for the volunteer and the community we live in and local organisations benefit greatly from the skills and experience provided by over 50s. As well as being a chance to get out and about and meet new people, it might just be the reason you need to make volunteering a more permanent part of your life. We hope that the range of opportunities across Northern Ireland will offer something for everyone.”

Anne O’Reilly, Age Awareness Week Spokesperson said; “Too often those from older age groups are portrayed as passive recipients of services in our communities. This One Good Reason Action Day is a fantastic opportunity for over 50s to challenge this stereotype whilst recognising the invaluable contribution that older volunteers already make to local organisations”.