Celebrating the True Impact of Volunteering at CHAS

25 Aug 2025

With the publication of our latest Volunteer Impact Report, Fiona Harvey, Head of Volunteering at CHAS takes us through the highlights.

Each year, we publish a report that captures the incredible contribution of volunteers across CHAS. It's always a privilege to reflect on the scale of support - thousands of hours given, funds raised, and new volunteers welcomed. These figures are powerful, but anyone who works alongside volunteers knows their impact goes far beyond numbers.

In 2024, I had the opportunity to attend the Advanced Volunteer Management Symposium, where I was particularly inspired by a keynote from Sue Carter Kahl, a leading voice in volunteer impact and storytelling. Her insights challenged us to think differently about how we measure and communicate the value of volunteering-not just in terms of outputs, but in terms of outcomes and meaning.

Motivated by this, we took a fresh approach to this year's Volunteer Impact Report, published in June. Alongside the headline figures:

  • 860 volunteers supported CHAS this year
  • They contributed over 42,000 hours of their time
  • That equates to more than £827,000 in monetary value
  • We developed 9 new volunteer roles and welcomed 134 new starts

…we also asked deeper questions. Our updated volunteer survey explored not just what volunteers do, but the difference they make - their influence, their ideas, and their presence. We invited volunteers to share their proudest moments, and the responses were deeply moving. They reminded us why volunteering is such a vital part of CHAS.

The stories featured in the report illustrate how volunteers are embedded in every aspect of our work:

  • In our hospice gardens, volunteers at Robin House gave over 3,700 hours and played a key role in recovery efforts after Storm Eowyn.
  • In learning and development, volunteer coaches contributed 133 hours, helping to build skills and confidence across our teams.
  • In our retail shops, volunteers helped secure 2,315 Gift Aid sign-ups, generating over £52,000 in reclaimed tax to support our services.

These contributions build community, foster wellbeing, and bring joy - not just to those we support, but to the volunteers themselves.

Survey results show that volunteering with CHAS is transformative:

  • 96% of volunteers say they enjoy their volunteering
  • 80% made new friends
  • 42% learned new skills
  • 31% improved their health and wellbeing

And thanks to recent research from Volunteer Scotland, we now know that each person who volunteers weekly receives, on average, £1,000 in social value - through improved wellbeing, confidence, and connection.

Looking ahead, we're excited to continue building on this momentum. Guided by our Volunteering Strategy, we'll be:

  • Supporting young people to shape future volunteer roles
  • Amplifying the volunteer voice across CHAS
  • Creating new opportunities for involvement
  • Working with volunteer managers to plan for meaningful engagement

None of this would be possible without the dedication of CHAS staff who support and engage volunteers so well. One of our core values is we play as one team, and this report shows just how true that is.

Ultimately, the report affirms what many of us in volunteer management already know-volunteers are not just contributors. They are changemakers, connectors, and ambassadors. This report celebrates their stories, their impact, and their presence in every corner of CHAS.

Download the Volunteer Impact Report(PDF, 2MB)