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Volunteers’ Week 2026
Celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2026
Thank you to every one of our incredible volunteers
Volunteers’ Week runs from 1–7 June every year, and it’s one of our favourite moments in the calendar, a chance to stop, reflect, and say a heartfelt thank you to the remarkable people who give their time so generously to Brain Tumour Support.
Every hour our volunteers give makes a real and lasting difference to the people we support, to our charity, and to the wider brain tumour community. We couldn’t do what we do without them.
“My advice to anyone thinking of volunteering is: do it! It’s the most rewarding thing you will ever do. Giving up your own time to help other people is so satisfying.” Chris, Brain Tumour Support volunteer
What our volunteers do
Our volunteers contribute in so many ways, and no two roles are the same. Whether someone gives a few hours a week or a few days a month, every contribution counts.
Across Brain Tumour Support, our volunteers:
- Represent us at community events, fundraisers and awareness days
- Support our office with admin, communications and logistics
- Help organise and steward fundraising events
- Distribute collection tins and fundraising materials
- Serve as ambassadors, sharing their personal experiences to raise awareness
- Provide a human connection that reminds others they are not alone
Could we use your skills?
You don’t need to have been affected by a brain tumour to make a difference. We’re always looking for people with specific skills who’d like to get involved, whether that’s a few hours here and there or a more regular commitment.
If any of the following sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you:
- Photography: capturing moments at our events
- Graphic design: creating artwork for campaigns, events and social media
- Video and film: producing short films, reels or volunteer testimonials
- Marketing and digital: helping with social media, email or online content
- Writing and proofreading: supporting our blog, newsletter or fundraising materials
- Event support: helping on the day as part of our cheer team, stewarding and making sure everything runs smoothly
- Public speaking and advocacy: representing Brain Tumour Support at talks, schools or community groups
- Legal, financial or HR: offering professional expertise in a trustee or advisory capacity
Not sure where you fit? Just get in touch and we’ll always try to find a role that works for you and your schedule.
Register your interest in volunteeringVolunteer stories
The best way to understand the power of volunteering is to hear it in people’s own words. Here are two of our volunteers, each with a very different story, and each making a profound difference.
Chris’s story: finding confidence, one step at a time
Chris has been volunteering with Brain Tumour Support since 2011. He has Asperger’s Syndrome, and when he first started, the idea of attending events or speaking with people felt entirely out of reach.
Over the years, that has changed, and volunteering has been at the heart of that change.
“Ten years ago, I could never have imagined attending events and helping with fundraising, but now I really enjoy it.”
Chris has taken on a wide variety of roles, from database work and admin to creating display boards, assembling fundraising packs, and supporting events. Tasks that might seem small in isolation add up to hundreds of hours saved for the charity, and a growing sense of purpose and belonging for Chris.
“Volunteering at Brain Tumour Support makes me feel very grateful to be doing something so rewarding and helping other people, whether it’s in the office or at fundraising events.”
Only 16% of autistic adults in the UK are in full-time paid employment. For Chris, volunteering has been a pathway to new skills, improved confidence, and real hope for the future.
Read Chris’s full storyHeather’s story: giving back when life changes everything
Heather was a Staff Nurse for 32 years before a brain tumour forced her to medically retire. Her tumour, a non-malignant but inoperable meningioma she calls “Algy,” changed the course of her life. After a two-and-a-half-year wait, she had radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital in 2013.
Living with a brain tumour brings ongoing challenges. Heather experiences absence seizures, vertigo, and severe neuralgia. There have been years of real struggle, including battles with the Department for Work and Pensions that took a serious toll on her mental health.
But Heather also found a way to keep giving.
“I love volunteering because I feel useful again and can help support others going through what is a terrifying ordeal.”
As an ambassador for Brain Tumour Support, Heather attends the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Brain Tumours (APPGBT) in Westminster, reporting back to the charity on proceedings and helping to raise awareness at the very highest levels.
“Most of us who volunteer with the charity have our own experiences with brain tumours, which means we understand a lot of that.”
Heather’s story is a reminder that volunteering isn’t just about what you give; it’s also about what it gives back to you.
Read Heather’s full storyWhat is Volunteers’ Week?
Volunteers’ Week is a national celebration that takes place during the first week of June every year. Now in its 42nd year, it shines a spotlight on the extraordinary contribution volunteers make to charities, communities and organisations across the UK.
It’s coordinated nationally by Volunteers’ Week and supported by organisations including NCVO, Volunteer Scotland, Volunteer Now and WCVA.
This year, the week also coincides with The Big Help Out (5–8 June), a national initiative that brings together volunteering opportunities from organisations across the country.
Could you be our next volunteer?
If reading these stories has inspired you, we’d love to hear from you. Volunteering with Brain Tumour Support doesn’t require any previous experience; just a willingness to give your time and make a difference.
There are roles to suit all kinds of people and all kinds of schedules. Whether you have a few hours a month or more time to give, we’ll work with you to find the right fit.
Find out about volunteering with us