My role is to dive into the numbers, looking for discrepancies and support the Finances team with processing invoices. Through my volunteering, I’m learning a lot about Excel and other accounting software that is actively supporting my studies.
45 stories for 45 years. Throughout 2026, we’re sharing the stories of our clients, volunteers and staff who make the Wessex Cancer Support community what it is.
Through our community’s lived experience of cancer, we can provide our clients with the tailored support they need.
For this edition, Tim, a volunteer for Wessex Cancer Support, shares their story and experience.
I’ve always enjoyed volunteering.
For a long time, I volunteered in charity shops supporting good causes. I spent hours helping to sort through donations and serving customers on tills, but I often felt like something was missing.
While it was great to work with the team, I wanted to find something that would enable me to apply what I was learning at college.
I study accounting and really wanted the opportunity to apply the skills I was learning, and develop my knowledge, while continue to make a tangible positive impact.
That search eventually led me to the finance office at Wessex Cancer Support.
I am one of the lucky ones, I haven’t had a close friend or family member battle cancer.
However, I’ve always been acutely aware of the toll it takes—the surgeries, the chemotherapy, and the quiet bravery of people losing their hair and their strength to a disease that doesn’t care how old you are.
What drew me to this charity wasn’t a personal tragedy, but a shared value: the idea of a safe space where people can be themselves.
When I walk into the office two days a week, I see a place where people are heard and valued. It’s an environment where people feel comfortable talking about their hardest days but also getting involved in activities like the Walking Group or Yoga.
Knowing that my work supports that environment makes me feel recognised and gives my contributions a sense of purpose.
I’m also able to take what I’m learning at college and apply it directly to the work I do at Wessex.
My role is to dive into the numbers, looking for discrepancies and support the Finances team with processing invoices. Through my volunteering, I’m learning a lot about Excel and other accounting software that is actively supporting my studies.
Using what I’m being taught in the classroom to help a regional charity thrive has boosted my confidence more than any textbook ever could.
Volunteering has helped me get out into the community more. It’s easy to stay at home, but coming here offers a social network that keeps me grounded.
I’ve realised that you don’t need a personal history with cancer to make a difference in the lives of those who do. You just need a willing set of hands and, in my case, a love for a well-organised spreadsheet!
To anyone thinking about volunteering, my advice is simple: don’t wait. Don’t feel like you have to fit a certain mold. If you have professional skills, whether in finance, IT, or administration you can actively support the charity.
There is an immense pride in knowing you are contributing to your community. You’ll feel better, and you’ll see the people around you feeling better, too.
Our community provides a safe, supportive space for people affected by cancer. Through our emotional and wellbeing services, we provide the support to our communities in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
We’ve been here for you since 1981.
You can call or email your local cancer support centre today or drop in to speak to our friendly team.
Alternatively, if you would like to know more about joining Team Wessex, you can see more about becoming a volunteer here.
