Every year, the first week of June is dedicated to celebrating the volunteers who help make a difference in their communities.

This year is no different. Volunteers Week, which runs until tomorrow (Tuesday, June 7), is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of volunteers and to say thank you for everything that they do.

We would like to celebrate the volunteers in Alfreton who help make a difference to our town.

Among them is Emma Holloway, who volunteers at the Ashgate Hospice shop on Alfreton High Street.

Before volunteering for Ashgate Hospice, Emma was the chair of a charity that advocates for disabled children.

According to Ashgate Hospice, it was more than seven years ago when she was looking for a new volunteering opportunity in Alfreton and saw that the charity would be opening a new shop.

Fast forward to now and is Emma is a retail volunteer, workings three shifts a week, plus an additional Saturday once a month.

Her main duties include working on the till and serving customers. Building relationships with the team and customers is one of the things Emma really enjoys about her role.

She said: “I enjoy the fact that every day is different and it’s never boring, I enjoy meeting lots of new people and getting to know regular customers.”

And for anyone thinking about volunteering, Emma said: “There is a wide variety of jobs within the shops and there is always somebody around for support.

“Every day is different and you learn new skills which could help you in the future.”

You can read Emma’s volunteering story in full here.

Do you volunteer in Alfreton or know somebody who does? We’d love to share their story too. You can send in your volunteering stories via Tell Us Your News.