As National Volunteer Week wraps up, I just want to take a moment to say thank you to all the amazing volunteers across East Gippsland who give their time, skills and energy to help others in this shire.

Volunteering really isn’t something extra – it’s part of who we are. Around 20% of our community volunteers, which is well above the national average, and that’s something we can all be proud of.

This week has been a great chance to recognise some of those people and the groups who quietly keep things going behind the scenes without any fuss. I also want to mention the Volunteer Honour Roll, which has again grown to recognise volunteers across East Gippsland.

Thank you for everything that you do.