Person to Person is an online service that uses text messaging and email to make it quicker and easier for volunteers to give up their free time to help others, and for people who need help to find support.

The platform had been used as a flexible work system that allows people to sell their labour in small blocks - or slivers of time - without the need for phone calls or paper work.

However, Hertfordshire County Council's volunteer service, Breakaway for Carers, wanted to test how the system could help manage the booking of volunteers.

Through the platform, volunteers provide a profile of when they are available, how far they are willing to travel, and what sort of volunteering tasks they will help with.

People in need of assistance can then search for volunteer support and identify people who able to provide what they are requesting.

A text message is sent to volunteers about potential bookings and they can confirm via text or email if they are able to help.

The whole process can only take a few minutes which frees up staff time to spend on other tasks.