By Press Release
The Big Help Out is a national volunteering campaign, taking place over this Coronation bank holiday weekend. Across the UK, people are being encouraged to lend a hand in their local area by volunteering on Monday, (May 8).
This week has seen the publication of a report showing that the number of people volunteering has fallen significantly, particularly in campaigning, fund-raising and events. On the Island, we are lucky to have many fantastic events, both large and small, and many of these rely heavily on volunteers. You can help these events survive by giving up some of your time. If you have never volunteered before, this can be a great way to see if you enjoy it, without too much commitment.
The IW Volunteer Centre has compiled a list of volunteering activities, including litter picks, trial sessions at charity shops, girl-guiding and scouts, and opportunities for volunteers at the Storeroom in Cowes. See iow.life/bighelpout for details. We also have listings of one-off events that are looking for volunteers to help marshalling, collect tickets, look after artists and athletes, and so on.
In addition, we have organised a free social event on Wednesday (May 10) from 5.15pm until 7.45pm at The Riverside Centre in Newport where you can chat to existing volunteers and hear from local organisations looking for volunteers. This particular event will focus on those things you can do outside of office hours, so if you have a regular paid job, you can still volunteer and enjoy all the benefits that come with that, such as the ‘helpers’ high’, improved health, meeting new people and having fun!
Our website is constantly updated, with new volunteer opportunities appearing every week, so whether you are looking to improve your confidence or work skills, want to take your mind off something else, are passionate about a particular cause, or simply want to try something new, take a look on-line or contact us and we’ll get back to you. Find details at iow.life/volunteer.
By Sandy Ciccognani – IW Volunteer Centre
