Independent views By Brendan Horan

During last week's National Volunteers Week it was appropriate and in good taste local Mayors Stuart Crosby and Ross Patterson co-hosted a mayoral reception to celebrate the bicentennial of Justices of the Peace serving their community as volunteers for 200 years.

More than 7000 Justices throughout the country provide ministerial and judicial services to the courts and their communities, with their tasks and functions being numerous.

Though I've highlighted Justices of the Peace, let us not ignore the huge array of other volunteers trained to save lives, manage disasters, provide meals and support to those in need, man any number of local advice bureaus, libraries and charity shops to make our beaches safe, to manage children to school in walking school buses.

The list is endless but a huge and significant cost-saving to society.

The downside though is reported to me often, that the age profile of those willing to work as volunteers is ever-aging, and modern youth seem to have less interest in helping others for free.

I finish with massive thanks and acknowledgement to all volunteers across the spectrum for the assistance you provide.

If you'd like to discuss this or any other issues please contact me. Facebook.com/Brendan.horan.336 twitter.com/brendanhoran or Phone Brendan on 07 574 0253.