The Voluntary Action LeicesterShire team is planning a packed week of activities to say thank you for the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across both local communities and the UK.
Running from Saturday 1st – Friday 7th June 2019, VAL’s Volunteers’ Week celebrations will kick off in style at the Leicester Riverside Festival. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet some of the VAL team, who will be promoting and showcasing volunteering at the event.
As the week progresses, sessions will be running in Leicester city centre, Hinckley, Loughborough and Ashby, providing information on volunteering within the respective communities and celebrating the amazing work volunteers do.
There will be workshops, ‘speed networking’ and the opportunity to meet representatives from local charities and organisations. VAL will be celebrating their own volunteers with a shared lunch, where VAL staff will have the opportunity to personally show their appreciation for the great work volunteers do within the organisation.
Kevin Allen-Khimani, Executive Manager – Public Sector Contracts and Projects at VAL
says: “The theme of this year’s Volunteers’ Week is ‘Time to Celebrate’ and we feel like this is very apt. Volunteers are quite often the unsung heroes within the charity sector and the truth is, the sector wouldn’t be able to function without them.
“We are proud to be able to play a part in providing support and advice to our amazing volunteers and are very much looking forward to celebrating them all throughout Volunteers’ Week. It’s also the perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to volunteer to find out more about opportunities in their local area.”
VAL has been helping volunteer and community groups to thrive for over fifty years and across a range of services encompassing education, employment, support and funding for some of the hardest to reach and most marginalised people in society. In 2018, VAL contributed £4.1 million to the local economy through helping 177 people into work and £1.62 million in funding for local voluntary groups through its services.
VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK ACTIVITIES IN LEICESTERSHIRE
Saturday 1st June, 12-6pm & Sunday 2nd June, 12-5pm – Leicester Riverside Festival
VAL staff will be promoting and showcasing volunteering at the event with case studies and members of the VAL team on hand to answer any questions.
Monday 3rd June, 10:30am-12:30pm; Tuesday 4th June, 10:30am-12:30pm & Thursday 6th June, 10:30am-12:30pm – VAL’s Volunteering Drop-In for Leicester City, VAL Offices, Newarke Street, Leicester
If you are interested in volunteering, then pop in to speak to someone from the VAL team who will be able to help identify possible volunteering opportunities.
Tuesday 4th June, 10am-12noon – Volunteer Celebration Event, The BRITE Centre, Braunstone
This event will bring together organisations looking for volunteers and involve a ‘speed networking’ session to give people an opportunity to meet a range of different contacts and ask some key questions. There will also be a short workshop talking about the benefits of volunteering.
Wednesday 5th June, 10:30am-12:30pm – Hinckley Library Volunteer Drop In, Lancaster Road
An opportunity to meet representatives from local charities and organisations – find out how you can make a difference while learning new skills.
Thursday 6th June, 10am-12noon – Volunteer Celebration Event, John Storer House, Loughborough
Similar to the event held in Leicester on the 4th June, this will bring together local voluntary organisations to celebrate the work of their volunteers and network with one another. It will also be open to people interested in volunteering to find out more about local opportunities.
Thursday 6th June, 3-6pm – Ashby Volunteers’ Week Event, Hood Park Leisure Centre
This event isn’t just about volunteering but celebrating everything that goes on in the Ashby area. From taking up a new hobby or sport, to getting involved as a volunteer or showing some support for the local community. The session will be open to the public, local groups, businesses and organisations.
Friday 7th June, 10:30am-12:30pm – Volunteers’ Week Goes Online
To try a different way of engaging volunteers, VAL are offering a special online ‘drop in’ service for volunteers and organisations. Members of the team will be available via Twitter, Facebook and an online chat forum to answer any questions and share feedback and learning.