MORE than 20 volunteers were presented with top certificates recognising their work.

The event, which marks the Year of the Volunteer in Southampton, celebrated the huge benefits that volunteers bring to the city.

Twenty-one people who give their time to help out at places like the Rose Road Association, which helps disabled youngsters, and Tools for Self Reliance, a New Forest charity which sends refurbished tools out to Africa, picked up a certificate from Southampton mayor Edwina Cooke on Tuesday.

Southampton's volunteering development worker Di Bernstein said: "If we totted up the time given by volunteers in Southampton in terms of cost, it runs to about £6.5m a year.

"They give thousands of hours of unpaid time to organisations.

"Volunteering supports our economy, it fills in the gaps between what statutory services provide and it brings huge benefits to the individual."

She added that at Southampton's hospitals alone, there are more than 1,000 volunteers helping patients to and from wards, making tea for visitors and supporting relatives in A&E.

"Statistics released last year showed that in areas where there are a lot of volunteers there is less crime, GCSE results are higher, and there is a general air of satisfaction," said Di, who works for Southampton Voluntary Services.

Cllr Virginia Moore, Southampton City Council's volunteer champion, is hoping to increase the number of volunteers in the city by five per cent by the end of this year.

She said: "The council is aware of the voluntary sector's major contribution to the city, not least in providing invaluable support to our communities."

BECOMING A VOLUNTEER:

Drop into a volunteering information session at the Voluntary Action Centre, Kingsland Square, St Mary Street. These happen every few days - call 023 8022 8291 for dates.

Visit: www.southamptonvs.org.uk for a current list of opportunities and vacancies.

Contact Di Berstein at Southampton Voluntary Services on 023 8021 6015 or e-mail: d.bernstein@southamptonvs.org.uk