LAST weekend, I was one of many who went to the second Devizes Festival of Winter Ales. As far as I can tell, everyone there had an absolutely spiffing time.

The event was organised by DOCA, working with the Kennet and Avon Brewery.

In case you don’t know, DOCA stands for ‘Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts’. DOCA grew out of the old Carnival organisation and now encompasses all the Carnival activities in town plus the Christmas lights and probably something else that I’ve forgotten.

Anyway, despite the name ‘DOCA’ being a teensy bit cringeworthy, they do great work and are one of reasons that Devizes punches well above its weight when it comes to ‘fun’ events.

The whole shebang would never have come to be, however, without the many people who were prepared to give up their time for free. Those volunteers meant that a lot of money was raised to help make Devizes an even better place to live. All those involved should take a bow.

And the good people at DOCA are not alone in deserving our appreciation. There are groups all over the county – and the country – such as the Lions Club, Rotary Club, Women’s Institute, Round Table, Townswomen’s Guild and the Freemasons. There are volunteers helping in hospices, leading Guide and Scout groups, coaching sports teams, raising money for specific causes and providing first aid at events.

When there’s a visible police presence at a weekend, it’s often provided by volunteers. I’d also include many of our town and parish councillors – not all, mind, as I’ve become convinced that at least half are a complete waste of space … but that’s a separate discussion.

Volunteers might not make the world go round but they make this country a much better place in which to live. And it’s not all fetes, jamborees and festivals.

Volunteers change lives. I’m not talking about the obvious ones here, such as the Samaritans, Salvation Army or St John’s Ambulance.

For example, Mike Gaiger, Ian Wheeler and Rick Kibby started up mini rugby in Devizes some years ago. One young lad who got into the game this way went on to play for Bath.

Devizes Lions organises a sports coaching weekend each year where children are given a chance to try a choice of sports and pastimes. This year we’ve got around 500 local children signed up to take part. Maybe some of those will go on to represent the county or even the country at a sport that they might not otherwise have become involved in. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.

This paper featured a piece on a former Devizes School pupil, Jed Elliott, being spotted enjoying a meal in The Crown with his new girlfriend, Jade Thirlwall of the band Little Mix. No, me neither … but that’s not the point. The point is that Jed is making his own way in the music business. One of his early gigs was, as I understand it, at the star factory that is also known as the Devizes Beer Festival. Without volunteers, that opportunity wouldn’t have arisen.

Volunteers don’t just help people; they help people to help themselves. All businesses have to start somewhere. Alan Sugar says he started selling out of the back of a van. If he were to be getting going now, perhaps he’d have come down from north London and rented a pitch at the Devizes Lions May Fair (not ‘fayre’ you notice; this is the 21st century). There are still some available.

Pop-up restaurants have become a phenomenon. But an even cheaper way to get going is to rent a pitch at an event such as the Devizes International Street Festival in August or the Christmas lights event. And guess what? Both are run by DOCA and couldn’t happen without the volunteers. Hats off to them.