This is Haslemere is celebrating the two-year anniversary of its re-launch. This is Haslemere grew out of the Haslemere for Ukraine initiative where it was clear what could be achieved when local people, charities, businesses and volunteers were connected quickly and effectively. We wanted to give that community spirit a permanent home online and we created www.thisishaslemere.co.uk.

In the run-up to this two-year milestone, we are reflecting on Haslemere’s amazing volunteering ethos.

Volunteering is thriving in Haslemere. Volunteers are central to Haslemere's community. Schools, churches, groups, sports clubs, charities, the town council, venues, festivals, fairs, theatre shows, concerts, parts of our healthcare system and charity shops all rely on the goodwill of hundreds of volunteers. These volunteers are selflessly giving the gift of their time, skills and knowledge for the benefit of Haslemere.

This is Haslemere is run by just the two of us - Jo Mackay and Áine Hall - but we would love others to get involved too! We have intentionally positioned the project as a community hub rather than a commercial directory which has helped us quickly build trust and engagement. Our focus centres on volunteering, local connection, events, clubs, and community support. We write the majority of the content and hope that we have created a unique and authentic voice championing Haslemere and its surrounding villages. We have also welcomed guest writers including Michael who shared his experience volunteeing on the River Wey and Natasha who was fundraising for her Round The World trip.

We recognise that all local organisations, including This is Haslemere, would welcome more volunteers. If you are thinking of volunteering, you could give an hour a week like Sarah who compiles stats for the Haslemere Food Bank, you could give three days a week like Jude helping in the office at Haslewey, you could shake a collection box for The Royal British Legion once a year or you could just be available on an ad hoc basis to help a local charity to design a graphic for a fundraising event. Generally, volunteers sign up for what works best for their calendars.

Rose Parry has volunteered for years for Haslemere Hospital League of Friends. She does some of her volunteering work flexibly as well as committing to a schedule of meetings throughout the year. Adrian Stent has already started working in the background to pull together the 2027 Haslemere Festival and he will commit to being available every day throughout the festival in May next year. Or, take Mike Young. He has been volunteering at the Haslemere allotments since 2012. This is the perfect example of volunteering at its most natural – there are no formal rotas or complicated structures. Instead, it’s just neighbours noticing when someone needs help and offering their time.

70% of the activities in the This is Haslemere events calendar are run by volunteer organisations. In other words, if every volunteer stopped tomorrow, there would be no classical concerts for HHH Haslemere Concerts and Grayshott Concerts, our charity shops would close, Haslemere Fringe and Haslemere Festival would be cancelled and there would no more talks and events at Haslemere Museum. In addition, sports clubs would end, we’d miss our films at Haslemere Hall and our schools would lose their governors and PTAs. The town would even look worse off with no beautiful displays of flowers thanks to Weyhill in Bloom. It doesn’t bear thinking about.

Thankfully, the This is Haslemere team is optimistic about volunteering in Haslemere. So far this year, we have conducted interviews with nearly all the winners of this year’s Haslemere Volunteer Awards and the overriding message from the recipients is that it is a privilege to give back to the community where you live.

If you have never volunteered before, we suggest looking through the volunteering directory on the This is Haslemere website. Look at organisations by category, choosing ones that are close to your heart. Contact the organisation that looks like a good fit and begin a conversation about where you might help. You could give an hour a week or you could volunteer full-time. That is the joy of volunteering, you give your time and skills to fit in around your lifestyle.

And to all those organisations that are lucky enough to recruit volunteers, remember to thank them. That goes a long way.