IT'S been a key part of driving and supporting volunteers in Swindon.

And now Volunteer Centre Swindon is celebrating two decades being at the heart of its sector.

The organisation was set up in 1999 and has been working since then to support and encourage volunteering across Swindon and the surrounding area.

“It’s wonderful to be in this position,” said Sue Dunmore, chief executive officer of the organisation.

“I’m quite surprised to be celebrating 20 years. We went through a rough time a few years ago due to lost funding but we managed to pull through.”

The organisation works with hundreds of charities and local community groups to recruit and manage their volunteers. It signposts anyone who wants to volunteer to organisations in need. The nationally-accredited centre is the only organisation like it in Wiltshire.

“The fact that Swindon still has a volunteer centre is something that is still very important in times of austerity and cuts. People have to do more to help themselves so it’s important that we’re still here,” said Sue.

The Volunteer Centre manages team volunteering where groups donate their time to community projects.

The charity is behind the project Involve Swindon, supporting employees to give their time to local communities. Zurich Community Trust, Intel and Nationwide are among the members.

“One of the highlights has been the number of people we have supported,” said Mrs Dunmore. “Each year we work with over 1,000 people who want to volunteer, and the number who take up team volunteering is far higher.”

Mrs Dunmore added: “Though we are a small organisation, our work has made a huge difference to the local community. I hope in the next 20 years volunteering will continue to be part of the every day life of the town.”

Next Friday will see the start of a four day pop-up shop in the Brunel Centre, hosting craft activities, information about local volunteering opportunities, henna tattooing and live music.