Every little helps!

The popular 1940s event has just taken place at Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens in Spalding, something which many have come to enjoy and look forward to annually.

Like so many community events, much work and planning goes in by a few – volunteers among them – to ensure its success and allow enjoyment by the many.

For some people, the commitment to events like these is long-term – they invest hours in meetings, fundraising, organising and pulling up their shirt sleeves to make it all happen on the day. Thank goodness for them.

There are other key people too though, who are just as vital, even though their contribution is shorter lived and many events could not happen without them. They are the ones who offer a few hours to help visitors on the day, act as stewards, man stalls or run refreshment stands.

Deepings Raft Race is entirely volunteer-run and could not happen without the 30 or so marshals and stewards who put in two-hour shifts during the event.

These acts of ‘micro-volunteering’ – short blasts of one-off, no commitment volunteering are no less valued and bring all the benefits of longer-term volunteering both to communities and individuals.

In Skegness, on September 1 and 2, SO Festival, one of the biggest family-friendly cultural outdoor arts festivals in the UK, takes place and it too relies heavily on ‘micro-volunteers’. It’s not so far away, why not take a look?

On a side note, closer to home, there is still time to catch one of South Holland District Council’s Activate family fun days including sports, arts, garden games and a climbing wall. They take place tomorrow, 11am to 3pm, at Memorial Park, Bridge Road, Sutton Bridge and the same times next Wednesday, August 29, at Gosberton House Academy, 11 Westhorpe Road, Gosberton, PE11 4EW.

There are hundreds of opportunities to get involved in the community locally, even if, like some of the volunteers mentioned earlier, you only want or are only able to offer a few hours here and there. Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service is happy to support you to find a suitable role.

For more information, visit www.lincolnshirecvs.org.uk, email enquiry@lincolnshirecvs.org.uk or call 01205 510888 option 3 for Spalding office.