The weather held for Northampton's biggest volunteering event FestiVol at the weekend which took place at Workbridge.

The site - which is the vocational and commercial arm of St Andrew's Healthcare - was transformed into a huge carnival-themed festival, which is held to raise awareness of the importance of volunteering.

Local charities SSAFA (Armed Forces Charity), Northampton Rotary Club, Crusader Community Boating, Action for Happiness, Motor Neurone Disease Association (Northants Branch), Mind and the UAA (United African Association) came together. 

A total of 16 new volunteers for St Andrew’s were recruited with many more registering their interest. Hundreds of attendees enjoyed live music, African drumming, a carnival dance troupe, street food, shopping, mocktails and a circus skills workshop.

The event also featured food and drink from local artisans, while mooching around the various craft stalls and local businesses.

Dawn Wright, FestiVol organiser and Voluntary Services Manager at St Andrew’s said: "This is the fourth year we have held FestiVol, and it is without question the biggest and best one yet. With more charities, live music, Northampton’s best bagpipe performer, a meditation area, a carnival float (provided by MI Transport) with a DJ set and sound system (provided by NNSP) and with all the hard work of my amazing staff and volunteers, it created a truly spectacular and memorable festival vibe.

"More importantly, the event really showcased that volunteering is a proven way to increase your own mental health, confidence and well-being. People volunteer for all different reasons – to give something back, to gain a new sense of purpose, to learn new skills or to boost their confidence – this event was a celebration of all of those things. If you are thinking of volunteering in the future, our Voluntary Services Team would certainly love to speak to you."

Vivienne McVey, St Andrew’s CEO, explained: “At St Andrew’s, our mission is to help people transform their lives and create a society where everyone with complex mental health needs is heard, valued and has hope for their future. Our Volunteers provide joy and hope to our patients and service users, and in return are highly valued and celebrated members of the St Andrew's family. They give their time, expertise and energy to our charity and we are exceptionally grateful to each and every one of them.”

St Andrew’s has more than  400 volunteers who bring a special kind of magic to patients, contributing to their recovery in a variety of different ways.

Volunteers have the chance to make new friends and to meet and volunteer with people who have a variety of backgrounds, cultures, interests and skills.

For anyone interested in volunteering, contact our voluntary services team at voluntaryservices@stah.org.