AS WE begin 2016 and the world starts to look ahead to the Rio Paralympics (and Olympics, of course!), I am writing to ask if your readers would like to volunteer with Leonard Cheshire Disability.

As well as supporting disabled people to live life the way they choose, the work will enable you to master many new skills and discover an amazing new side to yourself.

Whether you can spare a few hours a week or support us occasionally, your assistance is really appreciated. Leonard Cheshire Disability works for a society in which every person is equally valued, supporting thousands of people in the UK and around the world with physical and learning disabilities.

You can help in many different ways, such as using your IT skills to help a disabled person to write an e-mail or surf the internet, sharing similar interests, supporting disabled people to access sports facilities, gardening, being a shopping buddy or helping out with activities like art or cookery. The options are almost unlimited.

Across many parts of the country, we are particularly keen to recruit new volunteer drivers, as well as volunteers to support disabled people in the evenings and weekends.

Some people are put off volunteering because they don’t know what to expect, or may not know someone who is disabled, but this doesn’t matter. The most important thing is the willingness to support others and be a part of something bigger. In return you’ll have fun, meet new people and form lasting friendships.

Why not come and join us? To find out more about how to become a Leonard Cheshire Disability volunteer, visit www.leonardcheshire.org, call 020 3242 0296 or e-mail volunteers@leonardcheshire.org.

Begoña Mendez, Volunteer enabling co-ordinator, Leonard Cheshire Disability