Ashfield MP hails volunteers who play such a vital part in everyday society

These people are known as volunteers and really make a difference to people’s lives.

I spent many years working in the voluntary sector both as a volunteer and as a paid member of staff and I have seen first-hand the hard work and dedication our brilliant volunteers contribute to society.

One such brilliant volunteer run social enterprise is the Huthwaite Hub which I re-visited last week.

It was formed by retired school teachers Geoff Jago-Lee. Dai James and myself just over four years ago.

The hub teaches people who are socially isolated a range of skills from joinery, woodturning through to soft crafts and DIY skills.

Anyone is welcome and the difference it has made to people’s lives is astounding.

Volunteers keep the doors open to this amazing place every week and I was pleased to give it a mention in Parliament last week during the health inequality debate.

It was also a pleasure to meet George Wilcockson and volunteers at the Meristem Allotment Project at Skegby last week which helps blind, partially-sighted and deaf people learn gardening skills in a safe environment whilst making new friends.

Again, amazing volunteers doing amazing work and I was more than happy to donate £100 from my returned election deposit to this project.

I invited the Riley Foundation from Jacksdale to bring their sensory play bus to All Saints School recently.

I was delighted when I pulled up at the Huthwaite School to see the bus parked up in the playground and the children were so excited to explore it.

Melanie and Mark Wilson came up with the idea of a sensory bus due to their son Riley suffering from autism.

Seeing the bus first hand full of children was a mind-blowing experience for me, so much so that I had to leap into the ball pool at the end.

This is another great project I am happy to support, and I have pledged to pay out of my own pocket for the bus to visit schools in the area who have a high rate of special education needs as I think the children will really benefit from the bus.

Lee Anderson is MP for Ashfield.