Tell us a little about where you volunteer?

Goulburn River Books, Alexandra - friends of the library second-hand bookshop. It is very much a community bookshop, with "community" at the core of the operation. Volunteers manage and staff the shop. The community donate books, DVDs and vinyl records. Profits from the sales go back to the Alexandra Library, to enable them to provide (and improve) their services to community.

How did you get into volunteering?

I am retired and moved to Alexandra and wanted to become engaged in the community of our new home. I have always loved reading, so volunteering at the bookshop is perfect for me.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering?

That sense of fulfilment you get when what you are doing, for no monetary reward, is genuinely making a positive difference to others.

Is there anything you find challenging about volunteering?

Discipline yourself to not take on too much. The temptation is there to take on 3,4,5 different volunteering activities. But you can find yourself over committed, and end up not enjoying what you do.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering?

Explore what volunteering activities are available to you. Ask questions about them, speak to others that do them, maybe sit in a couple of volunteering activities. Then really question yourself about which activities you are 'drawn' to. Then sign up for just one or two different activities'