What I love doing in my spare time

Yesterday, I was leading a tour as a voluntary guide at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) when a visitor lingered behind. As the group moved on, she turned to me and said quietly, “Thank you. This made my day. I didn’t think I’d feel so welcome.”

That moment stayed with me. Not because I did anything extraordinary, but because it showed me what a simple human connection, through volunteering, can do.

When I first moved to Australia, I had two goals. I wanted to be a comedian, and I wanted to be a voluntary guide. I ticked off the first box briefly. (Yes, I peaked in my first season!) But since 2010, I’ve had the joy and privilege of guiding at the National Gallery of Victoria.

As this is National Volunteer Week, I’ve been thinking about how much volunteers quietly shape the world around us and how rewarding it is to volunteer.

Everywhere I look, I see the quiet power of people who care, from my daughter’s footy club to my beloved professional speaking community (PSA), to my 85-year-old mum still active in her local Country Women’s Association (CWA), where her famous chilli tomato relish sells out faster than Taylor Swift tickets, at the annual CWA fund raiser.

Maybe you’ve got a volunteer like that in your life. Someone who made you feel welcome, kept things going, and gave back more than they ever expected.

And maybe you volunteer too. If so, special thanks to you for showing up, caring and quietly making things better.

So, this week, why not tell someone?
A message. A hug. A heartfelt “thank you.”
It all counts.

And if you’re thinking of doing something creative and meaningful with your team, here’s an idea: bring them along to a guided tour at the National Gallery of Victoria. Our voluntary guided tours are mostly free. Honestly, I can’t think of a better team outing!

Just send me a note and I’ll help you organise it. And sorry, my mum’s famous chilli relish is much harder to offer, even I hustle hard to get a bottle.