Volunteers' Week - 1-12 June 2016

Organisations across the country are holding events to thank volunteers for their dedication and contribution.


Volunteers Week 2016Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the millions of volunteers who give up their time in the service of others. Events are taking place across the UK from 1–12 June to mark Volunteers’ Week, which this year is running for an extra five days to coincide with the Patron’s Lunch on 12 June.

NCVO kicked off Volunteers’ Week with the Big Celebration, an event hosted by BT to bring together organisations and parliamentarians to hear volunteers share their experiences, at the BT Tower.

Karl Wilding, director of public policy and volunteering at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which coordinates Volunteers’ Week in England, said:

"Volunteers’ Week is always a fantastic opportunity for a big celebration of the great work of volunteers across the UK. This year’s longer event, culminating with the Patron’s Lunch on the Mall, will allow even more people to take part in this special thank you to those who give up their time in the service of others.
Millions of volunteers make a huge difference to our society, and our lives would be worse without them. It is great to see that doing good to help other people is alive and well in this country. Whether they are running sports clubs, providing services for those in need or spending time with people at risk of loneliness, the UK’s volunteers are an inspiration for us all and it’s important we recognise them."

Over 14 million people volunteer at least once a month in the UK. Volunteers are involved in diverse range of roles in sports clubs, communities, schools and hospitals across the country, and they are vital to the work of countless charities and organisations.

Last year there were over 750 events organised for Volunteers’ Week, ranging from volunteer recruitment drives, to street parties, barbecues and award ceremonies. In addition to these celebrations, individual volunteers are being encouraged to take to social media to share their volunteering experiences and motivations using the hashtag #ivolunteer.

The end of Volunteers' Week will coincide with The Patron's Lunch on Sunday 12 June, a celebration of Her Majesty the Queen's lifetime of service to more than 600 charities and organisations to which The Queen acts as a Patron, on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

Volunteering facts

  • In 2012–13 volunteering output contributed an estimated £23.9bn to the UK economy. This is equivalent to over 1.5% of GDP (Cabinet Office’s Community Life Survey 2013-14).
  • There are over 160,000 voluntary organisations in the UK, many of whom rely on volunteers (NCVO’s UK Civil Society Almanac 2016).
  • 14.2 million people formally volunteered at least once a month in 2014/15. 42% of people in the UK volunteer formally at least once a year and 27% do so at least once a month (NCVO’s UK Civil Society Almanac 2016).
  • Volunteers’ Week started in 1984, and is now in its 32nd year
  • To find out more visit www.volunteersweek.org and follow #volunteersweek and #ivolunteer on Twitter.

    Written by Teaching Resources Support on June 06, 2016 11:42

    Volunteers’ Week 1-7 June: Proud to volunteer

    Volunteers across the UK are being thanked for their efforts as part of a range of events to mark Volunteers’ Week 2015 which runs from 1 to 7 June.
    NCVO Volunteer LogoCharities, community groups and other organisations are holding events to thank their volunteers for the contribution they make. Events will include awards ceremonies, barbecues, roadshows and tea parties. Last year almost 500 events were held across the country.

    The annual campaign, established in 1984, seeks to recognise the contribution millions of volunteers make to our communities every week and showcase opportunities available for people to get involved. This year, for the first time, volunteers are encouraged to share their stories and experiences on social media using the hashtag #ivolunteer, to raise awareness and encourage others to participate.

    More than 15m people volunteer in the UK every month. They lend their time and talents to causes as varied as food banks, libraries and hospitals. The UK Civil Society Almanac, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) data base, shows that between 2012 and 2013 volunteering contributed an estimated £23.9bn to the UK economy, equivalent to 1.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product.

    Justin Davis Smith, executive director of volunteering and development at NCVO, coordinators of Volunteers’ Week in England, said:

    ‘Volunteers’ Week is the perfect opportunity to recognise volunteers who give their time, energy and enthusiasm to helping others. This week of events across the country will show people how much the contribution of volunteers is valued.

    ‘Last year saw the 30 year anniversary of Volunteers’ Week celebrations. It highlighted how rich our history of social action really is. No one is better at talking about the contribution of volunteers than volunteers themselves. This year we are asking people to talk about the causes they care about, share motivations for volunteering, and encourage others to think about getting involved by using the hashtag #ivolunteer.

    ‘Volunteering is a way to give something back. It is also an opportunity for volunteers to benefit from new experiences, make friends, gain skills and have fun. There has been a rise in recent years in flexible volunteering, so that even people without the time to commit to a regular activity can get involved.

    ‘We hope that this Volunteers’ Week you will join us in saying thank you to everyone who volunteers.’

    Written by Teaching Resources Support on June 01, 2015 09:45


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