Volunteering has drastically reduced over recent years, spurring real concern amongst charitable organisations.

A major cause of the reduction and participating generally has been the Covid pandemic.

Some seven million people volunteer at least once a month but this is a third down on pre-pandemic levels.

Many people remain nervous about coming out and resuming life.

Activism has become increasingly keyboard based - a sometimes isolated activity.

There was a definite step change in life, during and after the pandemic and successive lockdowns.

The mental health implications of the pandemic and how it was handled were underestimated.

That is not to say that people are not volunteering due solely to the pandemic. The cost of living crisis is squeezing everyone, so providing less time for volunteering.

Volunteering is crucial to keeping so much of civil society working.

However, it should never replace paid work

The Conservative Party’s idea of the Big Society seemed to be about replacing paid workers with volunteers - running facilities like libraries etc.

Volunteering cannot become a form of exploitation.

Perhaps one of the biggest unrecognised group of volunteers are those who provide free care for their grandchildren. This work when totted up amounts to millions of hours and billions of pounds provided totally free of charge.

There was no mention of this in the recent Budget proposals to provide better childcare provision.

There was no recognition either in government plans to get over 50s back into work of the free care this group provides.

More recognition of this valuable service to society would be most welcome.

One initiative to help get more people into volunteering is the Big Help Out.

Commencing at the time of King Charles’s Coronation in May, it is hoped more people will come out to volunteer - some with charities, others elsewhere. It is then hoped people will stay involved in the volunteer networks.

An excellent idea. Volunteering helps contribute to the common good of our society. It must be encouraged at all levels. The fine line is when volunteering turns into exploitation - fortunately this is not often the case but it is a balance that needs to be maintained.

  • Paul Donovan is a Redbridge Labour councillor for Wanstead village and blogger. See paulfdonovan.blogspot.com