TV presenter Anthea Turner is calling for animal lovers across the UK to put their best ‘paw’ forward and volunteer for PDSA on Make a Difference Day (Saturday 27 October)

Now in its 12th year, Make a Difference Day, organised by Community Service Volunteers (CSV), has encouraged hundreds of thousands of people to volunteer, and this year will be no exception.

Anthea says: “I like to support PDSA as often as I can because I find it tremendously rewarding. Anyone can make a difference. It doesn’t matter whether you can spare an hour, a day or a week. Volunteering can easily fit around your life, so why don’t you give it a go?”

PDSA welcomes volunteers over the age of 14, and offers a full training programme, so previous experience is not essential. From volunteering in one of PDSA’s 182 charity shops to giving talks to school children and community groups, there is a role for every animal lover.

PDSA Head of Volunteering, Janet Compton, says: “The great thing about Make a Difference Day is that it offers a ‘purrr-fect’ starting place for people who are interested in volunteering but don’t know where to begin.

“There are many different motivations for people becoming a volunteer at PDSA. Some do it for the challenge of learning new skills, others for the camaraderie of joining a group, others simply want to help sick and injured pets. So whether you are a leader of the pack, bubbly and outgoing, or just up for a new challenge, why not give volunteering at PDSA a go?

“By donating some of your time to PDSA, you’ll have fun, boost your confidence, enhance your CV and get the feel-good factor for helping a worthy cause!”

Over 4,800 volunteers help in PDSA’s 182 shops, 43 PetAid hospitals, 4 PetAid branches and fundraising groups. For more information about becoming a volunteer, please contact PDSA National Volunteering Centre on freephone 0800 854 194 or visit www.pdsa.org.uk for a full list of volunteer vacancies.

PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity. It provides free veterinary treatment to the sick and injured pets of people in need. This year, the charity will provide more than 1.8 million free veterinary treatments.

[Photo is from the 2008 PDSA Pet Pawtraits Calendar, © Jason Fraser]