Did you watch this year's marathon and think, 'I wish I could do that.'? Or look on admiringly at all those plucky ladies – and a few men – who took part in the Moonlight walk for breast cancer? These were all people who decided to do a good turn for someone or for an organisation that they knew would benefit from the money they raised.

A good turn doesn't have to be a grand gesture or something you feel obliged to do.
But using your energy, creativity and enthusiasm to do something extra for someone or a group of people can help the wider community and make you feel good about making a contribution to the world beyond your front door.

It may be something as simple as checking up on an elderly neighbour to make sure they have enough food in the house, or volunteering to take their dog for a walk if they can't get out.

Helping on a stall at your child's school fete might make you wince, but what is an hour or so of your time on a Saturday? You'd probably enjoy it far more than you imagined.

Thinking of the broader picture, we all know how important it is now to try and conserve energy in the home. Your good turn could simply be turning your washing machine down to 30 when you wash with Ariel. Your clothes will still come out brilliantly clean and you'll be saving a huge amount of energy at the same time. Or unplug all those mobile chargers that have been left plugged in by your family. You'll be saving valuable energy.

If you feel your life's in a bit of a rut, just do a search for 'volunteering' on the internet, and you'll find masses of interesting things you can do that will really open up your world and provide you with an opportunity to do a good turn. Many more people now are even looking at opportunities to volunteer abroad. It could be a life-transforming experience.