Blog: What volunteering means to me… 1 June 2026 Volunteers are at the heart of everything Hestia does. Last year, over 1,300 people gave their time, amounting to an incredible 33,933 hours of support – with an estimated value of £2 million. We are hugely grateful for their time, skills and support. To mark national Volunteers Week (1 – 7 June 2026), we spoke to five of our volunteers and colleagues about what volunteering means to them. Sultana, Hestia Refuge Referral Line Volunteer “Signing up to the Refuge Referral Line volunteering programme was the best decision I ever made.” Being from a South Asian background I knew how common domestic abuse was and how deeply silence protected it. Then one day an e-mail came through from Hestia looking for volunteers for the Refuge Referral Line. My whole body wanted to click apply but my confidence whispered don't you dare. I signed up. And those four months of volunteering? Life changing. The team was amazing, supportive, patient and full of encouragement in all the places I'd never had it growing up. And volunteers? Dedicated doesn't even begin to describe them. Signing up to the Refuge Referral Line volunteering programme was the best decision I ever made. It wasn't just a role, or a stepping stone. It was the place where I found my voice, my courage, my identity and a version of myself I never knew I had the right to become. Sherina, Volunteer at Hestia “Volunteering means a lot to me because it gives me the opportunity to make a positive difference to those around me.”Volunteering has always been a huge part of my life, from my university days to helping out at my local temple while growing up, I have always enjoyed giving back to the community and supporting meaningful causes. I have had the honour of volunteering with Hestia for the past six years, and I can truly say they have been some of the best years of my life. During this time, I have supported a variety of teams and departments, including Business Development, IT, as a Childcare Volunteer with the Mums’ Network, and a Transport Volunteer within the Modern Slavery team. I now run the “Cuppa and a Chat” online group each month, and I hope to soon begin a new role as a Mystery Shopper Volunteer for the UK Says No More team. Volunteering means a lot to me because it gives me the opportunity to make a positive difference to those around me. I can confidently say it has supported both my personal and professional development by helping me learn new skills while having fun at the same time. I feel incredibly privileged to be part of such a wonderful organisation and am truly grateful to have discovered Hestia during the Covid pandemic. I look forward to continuing my volunteering journey for many more years to come. Gayle Lowery-Jones, Executive Director of Services at Hestia “I owe volunteering so much… I wouldn’t be where I am now without it”I started out as a volunteer in the late 1990s working with a small charity providing support and services for homeless people. The ethos was very much about community and working together, especially alongside people with lived experience. I was driving soup runs at night and tea runs at 4:00am, we would go out into the streets to try to find people sleeping rough to bring back to the night shelter. I remember the first Christmas dinner I ever cooked was for 200 people! It was an amazing experience and I learnt so much, especially around how much insight and value people with lived experience can bring. I suppose it was one of my first experiences with trauma-informed working. I ended up staying there for two and a half years as a full-time volunteer. Later on, I was also a volunteer for London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard for a number of years, wanting to support my community through active listening and signposting. I owe volunteering so much. I think that's what's led me to always champion volunteering within Hestia. I know I wouldn't be where I am now without that experience, without really being able to listen and to learn from people with lived experience. I'm in a very different position now than I was then, but I suppose at the heart of it, spending time with people who use our services is still one of the best parts of my job. Khadija*, Hestia Childcare Support Volunteer and former service user “Now, when I speak to other women, they tell me I am confident and that I give them hope.” I was very scared when I arrived [at Hestia’s refuge]. I did not know anyone. I did not know how to use a bus or a train. But when I arrived at the refuge, I was welcomed with kindness. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe. I was given my own room and a safe place to sleep. It was hard to believe that strangers could care about me so much. Step by step, they helped me rebuild my life. They taught me how to use public transport and helped me learn about the local community. I received counselling and emotional support. Slowly, I began to feel stronger and more confident. Later, I joined the team as a Childcare Support Volunteer. For the past year, I have been volunteering in different refuges, supporting children and families. I have loved every moment. I have learned so much about childcare, about responsibility, and about myself. I have met new people and grown in confidence. I was just a girl who didn’t know how to use a bus. Now I travel across London by myself, helping other families through my volunteering. Now, when I speak to other women, they tell me I am confident and that I give them hope. I tell them: you can ask for help. You can rebuild your life. You are not alone. That is what Hestia gave to me, safety, support, and belief in myself. And now, I am proud to pass that strength on to other women. John Mahoney, Volunteer Manager at Hestia and Volunteer for Samaritans “Volunteering is a commitment in time and emotion, but it has enhanced my life enormously” My Samaritans volunteering has become a big part of my life over many years, and I can’t imagine not doing it now. I say that until the next night duty when at 3.30am I’m fighting the temptation to put my head down for a quick nap! When that phone rings, there is no telling what awaits. The caller may be of any age, race or class but all with human anguish as a bond. We all experience fear, anxiety and despair at times, as we are all just trying to get through life and often at the mercy of those in power whose decisions can have devastating effects on the lives of vulnerable people. Volunteering is a commitment in time and emotion, but it has enhanced my life enormously by just knowing what a privilege being a Samaritan is. I joined Hestia 8 years ago on the back my volunteering experience, knowing the charity sector was where I truly wanted to be. I feel both humbled and honoured to do the work I do. Supporting over 1,300 volunteers each year, alongside a dedicated and inspiring team, makes my role genuinely rewarding – it’s a place I feel fortunate to be able to call “work” every day. Manage Cookie Preferences