Want a holiday with a difference? Why not share a lifetime of experience as an i-to-i volunteer.

If the travel bug has bitten, but you're keen to do something a little more meaningful, i-to-i would like to tap into your expertise and experience to help communities all around the world - and give you the trip of a lifetime.

Whatever your age, whatever your background, meaningful travel specialist i-to-i would like to hear from you. With 12 years' experience, i-to-i is the UK leader for volunteer travel, placing 4,000 volunteers from all walks of life around the world every year.

Whether you're passionate about conservation, sport, media, teaching or community development they've got something for everyone. No professional qualifications are needed, and with i-to-i you can enjoy a rejuvenating, fulfilling cultural experience for as little as a week or as long as six months.

As a publication dedicated to helping older people make the most of life, Mature Times has teamed up with i-to-i to give our readers the chance to try this unique approach to travel by volunteering overseas. And with around 500 volunteering ventures in 25 countries, i-to-i has the ideal project for you, whatever your skills and interests.

There's peace of mind from start to finish. So whether you're teaching English to monks in Nepal or conserving giant Pandas in China, every volunteer will receive pre-departure support and advice from choosing which project and location, to travel tips and ideas for fundraising before you go. They can also help you brush up your skills - for instance, through a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course.

Where in the world?

Here are just a few ways in which you can enjoy a well-deserved post-career break:

•           Overland four-country humanitarian tour of Southern Africa

•           Community work with children in Sri Lanka

•           Volunteering in a Vietnamese cooking house

•           Turtle conservation in Costa Rica

You can do it!

Alan, a former headmaster, participated in a community development project in Santiniketan, a town outside Calcutta. “It was actually my daughter who suggested that volunteering would be good for me,” he says, “as it would give me a much-needed break from my squash club - and I couldn't possibly say no to her. It was a brilliant experience and good fun.

“Memories I will never forget are the smiles of the village children I taught and the nights of listening to music under the stars. It actually put me back in the stream of life, and I thoroughly enjoyed contributing what little I could to the people of Santiniketan.”

David, from Wales, found himself being made an honorary chief of an African village as his “reward” for his teaching placement in Africa. “Both the children and the staff taught me so many lessons regarding the fundamental basics of day-to-day living,” he says.

i-to-i is affiliated to a range of recognised travel organisations, and its unique approach to travel could be the opportunity you have been looking for to see the world - and make a lasting contribution. To find out more all you need to do is call the Mature Times i-to-i hotline on 0870 787 1772 or visit www.i-to-i.com/mature

Bon voyage!

Image top right courtesy of Paul Harris.