A volunteer centre is calling on people to get involved in helping charity groups in St Albans.

The charity Community Central St Albans supports people to get into volunteering locally, and its new volunteer centre supervisor Tom Curtis is looking for residents who can use their professional and creative skills to help.

As part of the drive for new volunteers, Tom is keen to dispel myths that volunteering can only involve regular, daytime support such as making tea in a day centre, and that there are other equally important roles that might suit some people’s lifestyles better.

Tom said: “Our district is bustling with talented people, with a wide variety of skills, who could make a massive difference to local charities.”

Remap, a charity whose volunteers design and make customised disability aids, is looking for more engineers to enable more local people with disabilities to stay active and enjoying life.

Herts Chorus also needs a graphic designer to design their posters and leaflets, and Mencap, which supports people with learning disabilities, is looking for someone with website support skills.

St Albans ME Group, which supports people with myalgic encephalomyelitis, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, is looking for volunteers with PR and marketing skills to promote the work of the charity so it can reach more members.

Tom said: “All of these roles could be done from home, at whatever time of day or night suits you.

“By supporting these charities for a few hours a week or a month you will be helping many vulnerable people to lead happier lives.”

Volunteering advisors from Community Central will be running their regular ‘Count Me In’ event at the Beech House in St Peters Street from 9.30am to 3pm on Wednesday, May 9.

They are also running a community fair at the Alban Arena on Wednesday, June 13, from 9.30am to 5pm, which will showcase the work of 40 local charities and offer information about how people can get involved.

To find out how to get involved, call 01727 814644 or contact email tom.curtis@communitycentral.co.uk. You can also follow the #CountMeIn campaign on Twitter and Facebook at @CCstalbans