VOLUNTEERS have told the Echo how helping in the community has brought them back from the brink.
They shared their stories as part of National Volunteers Week, which runs until June 7.
People who have suffered drug and alcohol addictions and have slept rough on the streets say that volunteering in the local area has turned their lives around.
The national week celebrates the contribution that millions of volunteers make across the UK.
It is also designed to inspire other people to become a volunteer.
Weymouth College was among other community organisations taking part in a recent showcase at Weymouth Pavilion to encourage people to volunteer.
Lecturer Julie Storey oversees the Personal Best course, which asks students to volunteer for 20 hours a week.
See volunteersweek.org for more information.
Here, some of the Personal Best participants tell their remarkable stories of how volunteering has changed their lives.
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