AA Milne put it beautifully: "Piglet was so excited at the idea of being Useful that he forgot to be frightened any more." As I write my memoir, I realise there's a strong theme—the family you're born into is only a starting point. Through life, you join communities that enrich and support you, and many of my 'families' have been found through volunteering.
When I think about what makes a community tick, it's often not grand gestures but small things. A neighbour checking in. Another waiting while you start your car with jump leads. That's the magic of The Big Help Out. One hour of your time, and suddenly your street, block of flats, or corner of the country looks a little different.
Launched in 2023 as part of the King's Coronation celebrations, The Big Help Out is a national push to make volunteering easier and open to everyone. Two years on, it has become a rare moment when the whole country rolls up its sleeves together. Last year alone, it clocked up 6.5 million acts of volunteering. Polling found that 76% of participants felt a stronger sense of belonging in their community afterwards.
At a time when Britain is often described as divided, lonely, and disconnected, that number offers real hope. It tells us the antidote is closer than we think—usually about five doors down. This year, The Big Help Out partners with The Big Lunch to bring millions together from June 5th to 8th for the UK's biggest weekend of friendship, food, fun, and action.
People sometimes say they don't know where to start or worry they lack skills. But The Big Help Out and The Big Lunch are built to be easy. You decide how much time to give and what activity suits you. All you need is curiosity and willingness to show up.
One of our Challenges involved Sprouts Community Food Charity in Stockton-on-Tees, a brilliant, largely women-led project running international community cafés, cooking workshops, a food shop, and a garden. One minute you're chopping onions alongside women cooking dishes from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Philippines. The next, you're sorting donations on the shop floor.
The people I've met have stayed with me. Debbie, Jo, and the team came to London to receive the King's Award for Volunteering. We took a wild boat trip down the Thames before they headed to the Palace. As we whizzed along, wind in our hair, shouting above the noise, I felt elated to have met this wonderful band of people.
This is what I love about volunteering—the teams you become part of. You may go for an hour but leave with a new WhatsApp group and the urge to do it all again next weekend. If you're inspired, visit thebigdo.com. Enter your postcode to find everything from a one-hour litter pick to a half-day at a community garden, bike mechanic shifts, communications support, befriending visits, food bank sorting, conservation projects, and more.
If you'd rather host your own event, the site has everything you need—a Big Lunch on your street, a coffee morning, or a drop-in session with a local sports club. Another recent Challenge involved building a dementia village. Danny turned up with his digger and followed us to the next Challenge and the next. "It's better than therapy," he said. "I feel part of a family now."
Being part of a community and sharing experiences is the alchemy that can turn a life around. So jumpsuit on, sleeves up. Can you help us?
John Robinson volunteers at Horatio's Garden in Sheffield, a charity creating gardens at spinal injury hospitals. He uses a wheelchair after a road accident at 18 but now offers advice and support to patients facing similar challenges. Hearing how he helps others made me think of another unlikely band of volunteers.
Thirty-five years ago, we were challenged to renovate an orphanage in Siret, near the Ukraine border. We flew out with builders and doctors to help 600 children living in horrific conditions—no running water or electricity, raw sewage in corridors. What followed is a 35-year miracle story, as original volunteers stayed involved and changed lives. Many 'orphans,' now in their 30s and 40s, live in sheltered housing built by volunteers. When war broke out in Ukraine, they offered their beds to refugees. The once desperate helping the now desperate—what a humanitarian arc.
The power of a jumpsuit: A girl in Ikea smiled and said, "You're either my Auntie or part of my childhood." I felt touched. In Amandaland, Amanda says, "Who doesn't love a hot blonde in a hard hat? Ask Anneka Rice," and Mal goes goofy remembering Challenge as a teenager. I'm honoured to be part of anyone's childhood.
This blurring happens all the time. I once featured in a beer commercial—a jumpsuited 'me' landed a helicopter, jumped off a turret, and emerged dripping from a moat. "I bet she drinks Carling Black Label," said a fisherman. "No, but I bet they do," said another as my crew emerged. When pregnant, I saw my Spitting Image puppet give birth to my son, who emerged in a jumpsuit with a film crew. On Netflix's Rivals, a character in a jumpsuit is asked if they're off on a treasure hunt. Who knew the power of a jumpsuit?
