Passion for helping others

A massive thank-you has been extended to ordinary Australians this week, who give up their time to benefit others

VOLUNTEERS WEEK: Tweed Heads resident Jack Reynolds volunteers in Brisbane once a week. Picture: Contributed

A MASSIVE thank-you has been extended to ordinary Australians this week, who give up their time to benefit others.

This week is National Volunteer Week, designed to celebrate and acknowledge the more than six million Aussies who generously contribute in some way.

One of these six million is Jack Reynolds, a Tweed Heads man with a passion for helping some of the most vulnerable in our society.

Mr Reynolds, 22, drives to the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane once a week to help families who first arrive at the facility.

"Sometimes when families come into hospital, they can feel anxious or confused about where they need to be,” Mr Reynolds said.

"Knowing that I have made the day easier for a patient and their family will always put a smile on my face.”

The Tweed Heads man said a personal experience from his childhood drives him to give up his time to help families who are unfamiliar with the hospital.

"When I was younger, one of my close friends went through cancer and his strength and resilience gave me the motivation to be the best that I can be,” he said.

"I believe that children are the future and with the right support, guidance and education we can see them grow up to the best they can be, that's why I turned to the Children's Hospital Foundation.”

CEO of the Children's Hospital Foundation, Rosie Simpson, said volunteers like Mr Reynolds were an important aspect of Australia's social fabric.

"National Volunteer Week provides us with a great opportunity to say thank you to our wonderful volunteers who selflessly give up their time to support families whose worlds have been turned upside down by illness or injury,” she said.

"Volunteers are at the heart of our organisation. Quite simply we could not provide the services we do throughout the hospital without the dedication, commitment and kindness of our army of volunteers.”

For information about the Foundation, visit www.childrens.org.au/volunteer.