News from: Reading Voluntary Action (RVA)

30 November 2004

With all this these years about to happen around you it may have escaped your notice that in his budget speech this year the Chancellor, Gordon Brown announced that 2005 will be the Year of the Volunteer in the UK.

It hasn’t had the highest of profiles so far but rest assured that 2005 IS the Year of the Volunteer. National Agencies - Volunteering England, Timebank, Youthnet, Youth Action Network, Business in the Community and Media Trust - have formed a consortium to deliver various components of the campaign. In their words: “the Year of the Volunteer will be a high profile national campaign encouraging people to give time. We will be raising awareness of existing volunteering opportunities and inspiring people to take action through ‘DIY’ volunteering. We will be getting the message out there through various media, marketing and advertising campaigns including TV programming and a media partnership with a national paper… The year of the volunteer will be an opportunity to dispel stereotypes about giving time and inspire a new generation of volunteers.”

At the Voluntary Action Centre we hope that this effort will have a positive impact on volunteering at the local level, increasing awareness of opportunities to volunteer and making annual volunteering events such as the Volunteers’ Party, Volunteers’ Week and Make a Difference Day the biggest and best yet. We are also hoping that some special events will be possible during the year. Watch this space!

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