Abstract: A dispensing apparatus has a plunger reciprocable in a barrel, the plunger head defining with the barrel a variable volume pump chamber, a way-one fluid inlet valve for allowing fluid to flow into the chamber on increase of the chamber volume and a fluid outlet valve allowing fluid to flow out of the chamber when the volume decreases, a spring biasing the plunger toward a first position and a plunger actuator for actuating the plunger toward a second position, and a plunger damper for decelerating the plunger when moving toward its first position but before it reaches the end of its first position.