You can make a difference in just one hour

Do you have a skill or some free time to help your community? Volunteering is easy – and it’s great for your own wellbeing too!

WE’RE living through the biggest public health challenge in a generation, and we’re all naturally asking, “When will it end?”

But many people are also asking another question: “How can I help?” Well, the good news is that you already are. Because by playing The National Lottery, you’re raising £30million* for good causes every week. And, thanks to you, up to £600million of funding is being distributed to communities affected by the outbreak, allowing vital services and local projects to continue operating during these troubled and uncertain times.

Put simply, you’ve been part of the biggest non-governmental contribution to the efforts to combat coronavirus.

HOT FOOD AND WARM CHATS

Chef Chris Summers has been spending much of his spare time preparing and delivering hot meals to the elderly and the vulnerable in Caernarfon, Wales.

With the help of around 35 other local volunteers, as well as funding from The National Lottery, the initiative has gone from delivering 60 meals a week at the start of the pandemic to more than 650.

Then there’s Shirlee, from Craigavon in Northern Ireland, who has been offering her time to the Omagh B-Friend Hub, a befriending service supported by The National Lottery that provides a lifeline to locals at risk of isolation and loneliness.

Shirlee spends a couple of hours each week chatting on the phone to local people who are living alone. And it’s not just those she calls whose spirits are lifted – it cheers her up too.

In the current crisis, volunteering can be a huge comfort not just to those who receive help, but to the volunteers too – helping them build confidence and giving them the opportunity to learn new skills.

In fact, a recent survey revealed that while over half of UK adults admitted coronavirus had negatively affected their mental health, wellbeing had also been improved by helping others through acts of kindness.

Since the crisis took hold, millions of people across the UK have joined an informal “volunteering task force”, and finding safe ways to help the most vulnerable people in their communities.

That could be as straightforward as lending a hand with grocery shopping for an elderly neighbour, picking up prescriptions, ringing up people living alone or helping out at a local food bank.

In fact, a quarter of people under 55 say the pandemic has made them want to do more volunteering. And it’s those small, easy, daily acts – which may feel insignificant – that can often have the biggest impact.

MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE

Thanks to National Lottery players – as well as the magnificent determination and imagination of the people who run vital services across the UK – charities, good causes and local projects have been able to continue operating and offering support to the communities they serve.

Organisations awarded National Lottery grants before the coronavirus crisis began have been using the funding they received to adapt how they work. Others have applied for funding specifically to cope with the effects it has had on their services. While the efforts of people like Chris and Shirlee are truly inspiring, the reality is that volunteering doesn’t need to take a huge amount of commitment. In fact, in the time it takes to watch an episode of your favourite programme on television, you could have made a bigger difference to someone’s life than you thought possible – and you’ll feel the satisfaction that comes from helping others too.

This is why The National Lottery and ITV have teamed up to help you play a part in your community. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference. And even if you’re missing out on your favourite ITV show to help out, you’re not just supporting others –

No matter how much time you can spare or where you live, there’s something you can do

you can benefit too. (And, of course, you can always catch up on ITV Hub later!)

From helping out a neighbour to holding virtual coffee mornings, there are so many ways you can use your time to make a difference to help others, keep communities connected and reach those in need of support.

No matter how much time you can spare or where you live, there’s always something you can do. You don’t even need to leave your home – you can help out online or over the phone, from the comfort of your sofa.

While it’s true that government rules and restrictions mean we’re more limited in what we can do and where we can go right now, it’s also the case that many of us are finding a way to balance work-life commitments in a way that’s healthier and more productive.

There is a way to give a lockdown lifeline to millions more in this unprecedented situation – and it could take you as little as 60 minutes a week to make a real difference to someone’s life.