There is something about the end of summer that makes us stop and take stock.The evenings are getting shorter. The school bags are back at the door. The summer clothes are slowly making their way to the back of the wardrobe and, before we know it, the clocks will go back and the pace of life will change once again.
Winter is on the way.
For some, that thought brings cosy evenings, family gatherings and Christmas. For others, the darker months can feel long and lonely. And perhaps this year, instead of simply asking what we are going to do with our own time, we should ask a different question: what could we do with some of it for somebody else?
Because every one of us has something to give. We might not think of ourselves as particularly talented. We may not be experts at anything. But talent isn’t always about qualifications or specialist skills. Sometimes it is the ability to make someone laugh. Sometimes it is knowing how to listen. Sometimes it is patience, kindness, a practical pair of hands or simply the ability to walk into a room and make somebody feel welcome.
Sometimes, it is just a smile.
And there is somebody out there who needs exactly what you have to offer.
That is the wonderful thing about volunteering. You give your time without expecting a financial reward, but somehow you often get something back that is worth far more — a sense of purpose, connection and the knowledge that you have made somebody else’s day, week or even life a little better.
It doesn’t have to take over your life.
You might have an hour a week. You might have a Saturday morning. You might be able to help once a month. Somewhere in Galway there is an organisation that could probably make good use of whatever time you can spare.
And you can find out exactly what is available next Sunday, October 11, when the Galway City Volunteer Recruitment Fair takes place at the Salthill Hotel from 2pm to 5pm.
Organised by Galway Volunteer Centre, the Fair will bring together up to 40 charities and community organisations from across the city. The last Fair, held in February 2024, attracted approximately 1,000 people, showing just how strong the appetite for volunteering is in Galway.
There will be all sorts of opportunities.
You could find yourself coaching children, helping at a community event, supporting a local charity, baking for a fundraiser, visiting someone who is lonely or simply being the friendly voice at the end of a telephone.
Think about that for a moment.
Our communities don’t run themselves. The pitches don’t line themselves. Children don’t train themselves. Fundraisers don’t organise themselves. Community centres don’t keep themselves going. And when someone is lonely or struggling, a comforting phone call doesn’t arrive by magic.
It happens because somebody cares enough to give their time.
That somebody could be you.
Galway Volunteer Centre has been helping people find volunteering opportunities since 2006, matching people with roles that suit their interests and availability.
So perhaps this winter, instead of spending another evening scrolling through your phone or automatically reaching for the Netflix remote, give yourself something different.
Give an hour.
Give a skill.
Give a smile.
Give some of your time.
You might help somebody else. You might discover a talent you never knew you had. You might make new friends and become part of something that matters.
And you might discover that giving something away can actually leave you with more.
