As events celebrating Volunteer Week take place across County Durham, The Northern Echo is featuring the people who give up their time freely to make a difference to other people's lives. Bessie Robinson has been talking to Jim and Margaret Welch, of Blind Life in Durham.

JIM WELCH has had to face a lot in his life - losing his mobility and being confined to a wheelchair, he only had sight in one eye from birth and then, five years ago, he lost the sight in his other eye. But Mr Welch, 57, together with his wife, Margaret, refused to let it get them down.

Not knowing any other people who were blind, Mr Welch felt very isolated and depressed. He missed reading the paper and being able to write his diary. He soon realised there was little in the way of activities for blind people in his area. After being introduced to a few other visually-impaired people, Blind Life in Durham was born, of which Mr Welch is the founder and chairman.

He said volunteering alongside his wife proved to be a lifeline.

"Losing your sight is like a bereavement, not just for the person but also their family," he said. "It's hard to explain unless you experience it. The only word to describe it is, 'devastating'.

"For me, it came after a long fight against having to use a wheelchair. I injured my back during my 14 years working as an HGV fitter.

"I had always been a very active person, until then. I got that far down there was only one way to go - up. I couldn't have done any of it, though, without the support from my wife, Margaret. She works tirelessly, long hours as a volunteer alongside other volunteers to help the organisation progress.

"Blind Life in Durham was a lifeline for me. I knew there was a need for such an organisation and it is run by a dedicated committee of visually-impaired people. Blind Life is a friendly, pro-active group of blind and partially-sighted people who meet regularly. We provide monthly sight-related talks on relevant subjects, social events, days out together and have recently set up a new age curling club.

"We welcome new members and I know for many the organisation is a lifeline, just as volunteering and setting it up was for me."

In County Durham, many community services could not survive without volunteers and events are being held to recognise and reward their efforts and recruit new people.

A single helpline number, 0845-270-5606, has been set up, along with a web address - www.shapingthecommunity. org - to make it easy for people to find out about the range of volunteering opportunities, funding or the support they might need to keep a community group going.