What is volunteering?
Volunteers makes a significant contribution to our local communities, initiatives, and social economy each and every day. They give freely of their time to help others and expect nothing in return. Yet without volunteers, many local groups, activities and services would not be able to operate their activities or provide support to some of most vulnerable in our communities.
Why is it important to celebrate volunteering?
It’s really important to recognise and celebrate the contribution of volunteering in our own communities: we want volunteers to know that we appreciate their commitment and that we recognise the real and lasting difference their volunteering makes to people, groups and communities.
What is Volunteers Week?
Volunteers’ Week (this year Monday 1st June to Sunday 7th June 2020) takes place each year in the first week of June, and is an annual celebration of the contribution people make across the UK through volunteering.
This year provided a chance for all of us to celebrate and say thank you to for the contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK, and most especially in Falkirk.
Whilst COVID-19 volunteering response is taking center-stage presently, we can’t forget the fantastic volunteers who contribute throughout the year in their communities, many of whom swiftly changed the way they volunteer so they could continue to help where it was needed. Our present challenging circumstances have shone a light on the value of our volunteers and their unshakeable community spirit.
Many of our Volunteers’ Week activities involve meeting volunteers, hosting celebration events, and presenting certificates, so while we couldn’t do any of these activities this year, we still most certainly celebrated volunteering as much as we can!
Volunteers Week 2020
This year, in partnership with Falkirk Council we created a Celebrating Volunteering Certificate for organisations to send to their volunteers during Volunteers’ Week. (Later on, when restrictions are lifted, we will be able to print and present the certificates for organisations.)
We were absolutely delighted to see so many of our Falkirk Bairns colouring in our Volunteers’ Week Colouring Poster and displaying it in your windows with your rainbows to help us celebrate volunteering. We’d still love to see photos of your posters and windows; you can send it to us by email: info@volunteerfalkirk.org.uk, or tag us on Instagram @VolunteerFalkirk!
For parents, we created a Falkirk Bairns Certificate for you to present them with, to thank them for “volunteering and helping” around the house and in their family during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Volunteers’ Week is truly the highlight of our year: recognising and celebrating volunteering within our communities, the individuals, groups and organisations who continue to make a real difference every day to people like you and me. We have been overwhelmed with the kindness, compassion, responsiveness of volunteers throughout the Falkirk and District area.
So on behalf of CVS Falkirk and Volunteer Falkirk, Falkirk Council and partners, and all of our local communities, thank you so much to every volunteer for all the volunteering hours and activities that you dedicate to supporting others. You are all truly amazing!
(Image Caption: The words “Thank You!” in looping black text, against a white background dotted with black and gold stars; a matching gold swirl underlines the words.)
