Welsh Ambulance Service celebrates Volunteers Week 2026
01.06.2026
The Welsh Ambulance Service is celebrating the work of its volunteers as part of national Volunteers’ Week.
Volunteers’ Week (01-07 June) is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering.
Lee Brooks, the Trust’s Executive Director of Operations, said: “Volunteers are a vital part of the Welsh Ambulance Service and their dedication and commitment benefits thousands of patients across Wales each and every year.
“Volunteers Week is the perfect opportunity to highlight the work they do and thank them publicly for supporting their local communities.”
Among the volunteering opportunities within the Welsh Ambulance Service is the Volunteer Car Service (VCS).
The VCS is made up of a team of dedicated volunteer drivers across Wales, who use their own vehicles to transport patients to and from hospital appointments, such as renal dialysis, oncology and outpatients’ appointments.
In 2025/26, they made almost 47,000 journeys - covering more than 1.3 million miles.
61 year old Brian Goodman from Saundersfoot became a volunteer driver after retiring from a 36-year career in distribution.
Initially, Brian said he’d try it for a month but has now been giving his time for six years.
He said: “I needed something to do because I was still young enough to work. To be honest, it’s one of the best things I’ve done. I didn’t realise what I would get out of it, meeting so many different people from different backgrounds.
“The patients appreciate it so much, it’s unreal. All I hear is ‘if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be able to go to this appointment’ or ‘I’ve got no family, or my husband or wife has passed away, and I’ve got no transport’.
“They’re so thankful. I’ve played rugby all my life and for me to say I get a lump in my throat, it’s a big thing”.
Brian enjoys that the role is flexible and he still has time for holidays and hobbies. He has this advice for anyone interested in the role: “Try it. Give it a go. It’s a flexible role and I think that’s what some people don’t realise. You can do it to suit yourself.”
Another volunteering role available is that of a Community First Responder (CFR). CFRs attend 999 calls in their community and sometimes administer first aid in the precious first minutes before an ambulance arrives.
They are trained by the Welsh Ambulance Service, including in oxygen therapy and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as well as the use of a defibrillator.
In 2025/26, Community First Responders across Wales attended more than 10,000 emergencies.
Chloe Hobbs, 21 from Dinas Powys in the Vale of Glamorgan has been a CFR for two years.
She said: “In my day job, I work in aviation. I’d never done anything in healthcare before volunteering for the Welsh Ambulance Service, so it was a bit nerve-wracking to start with.
“I used to get quite nervous thinking I’m the least experienced person in the room but my mindset has changed to ‘I am in the room’ and, what I mean by that is it doesn’t matter where you come from what matters is that you’re there and willing and able to help.
“I feel grateful that someone has let me into their house and that I’m able to make someone feel safe during such a difficult time for them.
She says the role of a Community First Responder is varied but at the heart of it is wanting to help and support those around you.
She said: “We all have a part to play. It doesn’t matter if you just end up just making them a cup of tea, if you’re gathering information for the clinicians or if you’re performing CPR. No matter what type of call, you will always walk away knowing you did something for that person.
"You could have just been a smiley face and offering a few words of reassurance, but we all do it because we care and that feeling never leaves you.”
Chloe says people shouldn’t be put off by a lack of experience as full training is provided.
Another important volunteering role is the Community Welfare Responder (CWR).
CWRs are volunteers who attend incidents which are not immediately life-threatening, to provide live, real-time observations to the Trust’s control rooms, including temperature, blood pressure and heart rate so that the patient can be monitored remotely by clinicians.
In the last year, Community Welfare Responders attended more than 2,500 calls for help.
Among those volunteers is Amy Richardson, 49, from Northop Hall, Flintshire. She was inspired to become a CWR after watching a tv programme.
She said: “I’m a bit of a medical nerd and I love the BBC programme ‘Ambulance’.
“We were watching an episode, and it featured a volunteer. My husband went and looked it up and he found that I could be a volunteer in North Wales.”
She started her role in November last year but says being part of the health service has always interested her.
She said: “It’s so far away from what I do for a living. I’m a director of a technology company but I’ve got family members who have been paramedics and I really wish pursued that as a career.”
She says while being a Community Welfare Responder is very different from her high-powered day job, the skills she’s learned in business have crossed over into her voluntary role.
“I think a huge component of the role is actually being able to communicate well and effectively and also put people at ease. You need to build a rapport really quickly and feel comfortable in situations where it may be a bit chaotic and stressful.
Amy says she gets a huge amount out of volunteering and would encourage anyone to look into it.
She said: “I absolutely love it and I’ve roped my neighbour into doing this as well! You feel like you’re making a real difference even if it’s just to one person on one day”.
Jennifer Wilson, National Volunteer Manager, said: “This Volunteers’ Week we’re celebrating and thanking those across Wales who make invaluable contributions to their communities.
“Volunteers play a vital role in supporting the Trust, offering their time, skills, and compassion to strengthen patient care.
“Their dedication ensures our service continues to provide the highest level of support to communities”.
For more information on volunteering for the Welsh Ambulance Service, visit our website: Volunteer For Us