The Cinnamon Trust: Helping Others Helps You Too

The Cinnamon Trust: Helping Others Helps You Too

Today, we went on a dog walk, but it wasn’t just any stroll through the park! As supporters and volunteers of The Cinnamon Trust, we participated in the “Big Walk,” a nationwide event aimed at raising awareness and funds for this heartfelt cause. That’s me in the photo, in the middle, with my little red dog and another I walk as a volunteer for The Cinnamon Trust. The Cinnamon Trust is a national charity that plays a crucial role by helping elderly and terminally ill pet owners who cannot fully look after for their pets for whatever reason. The charity ensures their beloved pets get the care they need, which includes taking dogs out for daily walks. This is a lifeline for many pet owners who might otherwise face having their precious companions homed elsewhere. But the benefits of volunteering with The Cinnamon Trust extend far beyond the assistance provided to others. Engaging in this volunteer work offers a multitude of rewards that science shows are beneficial for physical, psychological, social and general wellbeing. Here is a brief overview of just some of them. Benefits of Volunteering: Volunteering offers much more than just a chance to help. There is evidence that It greatly improves your and wellbeing, making you happier, more confident, and healthier. Plus, volunteering regularly has even been shown to help you live longer! These benefits show just how rewarding volunteering can be, not only does it help others, but it also enriches your life. Benefits of Walking: Recent research strongly supports the benefits of regular walking for enhancing health, particularly for reducing the risk of heart...
The Psychological Benefits of Volunteering

The Psychological Benefits of Volunteering

A personal perspective When I gave birth to my twins some 25 years ago, I told my husband “I want at least a year off before I think about going back to work”, and somehow that one year stretched into three. Then my third child arrived and the “going back to work” in any serious capacity was put on permanent hold as I made the most of being a stay-at-home Mum. Having had problems conceiving and the twins being born as the result of IVF treatment,  I was happy to be able to focus on raising the family I’d longed for, and we were lucky in that we could manage financially with me not working. However, being at home with small people did have its challenges as well as benefits, so it was important for me to do something outside of the bubble of family life. As soon as my youngest started at school, I started volunteering at our local Oxfam charity shop, sorting and pricing clothes that had been donated, ready for them to sell. I chose Oxfam because I have long supported charities that address needs in the developing world. It makes sense to me that I should give my time and money where the needs for basics that we take for granted are often unmet. Also, I like shops! Whilst I was at university, my parents bought a wool shop, and the first summer that my mother opened it, I really enjoyed helping out in the shop as her assistant.   First impressions The first thing I noticed at Oxfam was the benefit of being appreciated....