1–7 June 2026 | Volunteers’ Week
Every week at Wirral Ways, people give their time, energy, and lived experience to support others on their recovery journey. This Volunteers’ Week, we want to take a moment to say a proper thank you and share just some of what our volunteer community has achieved together.
The numbers tell a story
Right now, Wirral Ways has 34 active volunteers, with more going through the vetting process. Together, our current active volunteers have an average placement length of over a year and a half. This is a real sign of the commitment and connection people feel to this service and the people who use it.
Over the last 12 months, our volunteers have contributed an over 16,581 hours of support to Wirral Ways. To put that into context, we calculate the value of volunteering using the average hourly earnings for someone working in the health and social care sector (£20.80 per hour), the same methodology used across the sector to reflect the genuine skill and care our volunteers bring. On that basis, the contribution our volunteers have made over the last year alone is worth an estimated £345,000.
That is not just a number. It represents thousands of individual conversations, appointments supported, groups facilitated, and moments of human connection that help people on their recovery journey.
Who our volunteers are
Our volunteer community reflects the breadth of Wirral itself. Volunteers come from right across the borough, from CH41 to CH63, with a number travelling in from Liverpool and North Wales too.
They support across all areas of the service. From reception and administration, to outreach, health and wellbeing, criminal justice, and group support. Some work at our Argyle Street, Brighton Street, Market Street, and Price Street sites; others have supported us remotely.
What makes Wirral Ways’ volunteer programme especially meaningful is the lived experience many of our volunteers bring. Around 43% of all volunteers have a previous connection to this service: they have been through their own journey with us, and have chosen to come back to support others doing the same. That takes courage, and it makes a real difference to the people we work with.
Changing lives, including their own
Volunteering with Wirral Ways does not just benefit the people our volunteers support. For many volunteers, their time with us has opened doors they may not have thought possible.
Over the last three years, of all the volunteers who have completed their placement with us, one in three went on to gain employment. This was either within Wirral Ways and Change Grow Live, or in a new role elsewhere. That is 20 people who have moved into paid work, with their time as a Wirral Ways volunteer playing a direct part in making that happen. It is something we are genuinely proud of.
Thank you
To every person who has volunteered with Wirral Ways, past and present, thank you. Whether you supported someone through their first appointment, helped with a group session, contributed your voice to improve our service, or given your time in any of the many other ways our volunteers do: it matters. You matter.
Volunteering is not always easy, especially when you are also managing your own life and, for some, your own recovery. The fact that so many of you show up week after week is something this service could not function without.
Interested in volunteering with us?
We are planning to recruit new volunteers later this summer. If you are interested in finding out more, you can register your interest now and we will be in touch when recruitment opens.
Visit: www.wirralways.org.uk/volunteering
You can also contact us directly at Volunteering.Wirral@cgl.org.uk or call us on 0151 556 1335.
Last Updated on 1 June 2026