GIVING BACK is good for us too!
If there’s one good thing to come out of the pandemic, it’s that more people are thinking of others. A recent survey* shows that more than 10 million adults are volunteering in their communities as a result of the coronavirus crisis and 78% plan to carry on after lockdown. According to the research, one in five adults (19%) has volunteered since the first lockdown started last year in March – helping with grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions, calling people who live alone to check how they’re doing and helping out at food banks.
But, volunteering isn’t just good for the community, it’s also beneficial on a personal level. Research shows that volunteering can help to reduce anxiety, stress and depression. It gives you a sense of purpose, raises self-esteem and can help you to stay physically and mentally active too. In a US study** on 13,000 adults, it was found that people over 50 who volunteer for at least two hours a week,
