International Volunteer Day 2025: Every Contribution Matters

Every 5^th of December since 1985, people around the world have marked International Volunteer Day (IVD), a day dedicated to celebrating the remarkable contributions of volunteers and the organisations that support them.

Each year, the United Nations announces a theme to shape the focus of IVD. This year’s theme, “Every Contribution Matters,” encourages Member States to embed volunteerism in their development strategies and to champion volunteering at a national level.

2025 is also a historic milestone: the official global launch of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, inviting all of us to reflect on just how powerful volunteering can be.

Volunteering at Myerson

At Myerson, volunteering and community support are an important part of who we are. Our ESG committee partners with a wide range of local charities and raises thousands of pounds each year to support their work.

Alongside fundraising, every employee is encouraged to take one paid day of leave per year to volunteer with a charity of their choice, enabling them to support a cause that means something to them personally.

How our teams used their volunteer day

Throughout 2025, our team has passionately supported a wide range of charitable organisations - from children’s charities and animal welfare groups to inclusive sports and education initiatives, reflecting our strong commitment to making a positive difference in the causes that matter most to us.

Making Christmas magical with The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust

Just last week, a group of colleagues spent their volunteer with the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT), a local charity that provides free holidays and day visits for terminally ill, disabled, and disadvantaged children from across the North West.

Our volunteers dressed up as Rudolph and Santa’s Elves to help create a magical experience for visiting school groups. They prepared refreshments, manned the firepit for marshmallow toasting, and wrapped presents ready for the children to receive. It was a day filled with smiles, laughter, and a bit of Christmas sparkle.

Supporting animal welfare at RSPCA Warrington

At the end of August, five team members volunteered at RSPCA Warrington, helping staff sort through donations assist with the general tidying and organisation of the centre, and, of course, made time to cuddle the cats and dogs under the RSPCA’s care.

This branch currently cares for around 80 animals, offering a safe place for cats and dogs who were previously neglected or abused, as well as “case” animals involved in ongoing court proceedings. Our volunteers were proud to play a small part in helping these animals on their journey to a new home.

Supporting Greater Manchester Rape Crisis

At the end of July, our COO, Richard Lloyd, spent his volunteer day with Greater Manchester Rape Crisis (GMRC), helping to tidy and refresh the garden space at their Manchester office. He cleared overgrown areas to reveal the cobblestones beneath and helped to neaten the flower beds, creating a more welcoming and calming outdoor space.

As a registered charity, GMRC does not have the resources to maintain the garden regularly. They are planning to introduce a programme that will allow therapists and service users to spend time looking after the garden and planting fresh flowers - including window boxes - as part of their therapeutic processes.

Richard shared how grateful he was for the chance to support such an essential organisation that provides care, advocacy, and hope to female survivors across our community. A huge thank you to the team at GMRC for the incredible work they do every day.

A huge thank you to the team at GMRC for the incredible work they do every day.

Altrincham in Bloom

In June, the Myerson Board braved the pouring rain to spend their volunteer day with Altrincham in Bloom, a community initiative dedicated to improving and maintaining public green spaces across the town.

Despite the weather, our board members rolled up their sleeves to help brighten two local areas, planting and tidying to create attractive spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy. It was a notable example of teamwork and community spirit – rain and all.

Championing inclusive sport with Simply Cycling

Earlier this summer, several colleagues supported Simply Cycling during their volunteer day at the athletics track in Wythenshawe Park. The track was filled with of all kinds of inclusive bicycles: tandem bikes, karts, adapted pedal bikes and more, designed to make cycling accessible for all ages and abilities, including disabled riders.

Our volunteers helped collect and organise the bikes around the track to ensure easy access for everyone, while spending the day supporting the event’s attendees.

One volunteer shared:

“The best part was meeting some amazing people and their carers. They were the highlight of my day! Simply Cycling and other similar organisations help even the most vulnerable enjoy something that we would otherwise think they were not able to.”

It was a brilliant example of how inclusive sport, supported by a few extra hands, can open up opportunities and confidence for individuals who might otherwise miss out.

Inspiring the next generation

Towards the start of the year, a couple of staff members attended a careers fair at Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College , using their volunteer day to inspire the next generation. They shared how our apprenticeship scheme offers a practical, rewarding path into law and demonstrated that there are many different routes into the profession, depending on each person’s individual journey.

By speaking honestly about their own experiences, they helped demystify a career in law and made it feel more accessible.

Looking Ahead

Many team members have already started planning how they will use their volunteer day in the New Year, and we are excited to continue supporting as many charities and community organisations as we can.

This year’s International Volunteer Day theme, “Every Contribution Matters”, reflects what we see from our people all year round, whether it’s dressing up as elves, sorting donations, supporting inclusive sports or encouraging students to follow their ambitions, every act of volunteering makes a real difference.

For more information on Myerson’s charitable work please visit our Environmental Social Governance page.