IT was a real pleasure to join residents in Moretonhampstead recently to celebrate the remarkable service of parish councillor Mike Jeffrey, who has stepped down after over 50 years of dedicated work on behalf of the community he loves.

Occasions like these remind me why our small towns and villages remain the beating heart of Devon life.

Mike has given something that no salary could ever buy, and that is his time.

Over the years he has attended countless meetings, helped create important local assets including the building of the local swimming pool, listened patiently to residents, championed local causes and quietly got on with the unglamorous but essential business of keeping a community running and supported.

He also served on Dartmoor National Park and as a reserve firefighter for 37 years.

Much of this work of course has gone unseen. It happens on cold winter evenings in the parish hall, over cups of tea, and in the endless small conversations that hold a place like Moretonhampstead together.

People like Mike are part of a much larger national story. There are around 10,000 parish and town councils in England, served by roughly 70,000 councillors, the overwhelming majority of whom are unpaid volunteers giving up their evenings and weekends for nothing more than the wellbeing of their neighbours.

They are the foundation of our democracy, closer to residents than any other tier of government, and yet they rarely receive the recognition they deserve.

The wider picture of voluntary effort in this country is genuinely humbling. Formal volunteering in England was recently estimated to be worth some £24.7 billion a year to our economy, the equivalent of around £2,000 for every single volunteer.

On average, people who volunteer give roughly eight hours of their time every month.

When you multiply that generosity across millions of people, you begin to grasp the extraordinary contribution that individuals like Mike make, year after year, without ever asking for thanks.

Yet I do worry about the future. National figures show that the number of hours volunteered has fallen by more than 40 per cent between 2014 and 2023.

If that trend continues, the everyday fabric of community life will fray.

Village fetes, sports clubs, food banks, heritage groups and, yes, parish councils all depend on people willing to step forward.

When one generation of volunteers steps back, another must be ready to take its place.

So if you have ever thought about giving a little of your time, whether to your parish council or to any local cause, please do consider it. You will follow in the footsteps of people like Mike Jeffrey, who has shown us all what genuine public service looks like.

Mike, thank you. Moretonhampstead is a better place for your years of quiet, generous work, and I wish you a long and happy retirement from the council.

Facebook: Mel Stride MP X: @MelJStride Instagram: @melstridemp Website: www.melstridemp.com