Celebrate Volunteers' Week
Published 3 June 2008
All this week (1 to 7 June) UK organisations, including Alzheimer's Society, are marking the value of volunteers as part of Volunteers' Week.
Volunteers make a massive contribution to communities across the UK. In financial terms, their input runs into billions of pounds. In human terms, their dedication, commitment and compassion has an impact that is recognised across the community.
That is why 1-7 June is recognised each year as Volunteers' Week. It is an opportunity to thank existing volunteers, to recruit new volunteers and to celebrate the enormous benefit brought to so many people through the act of giving time freely for others.
This year many Alzheimer's Society branches are holding their own local events and activities to promote Volunteers' Week. Branches such as Craven branch and Ripon and Harrogate branch in Yorkshire, Gateshead branch and Sunderland branch in the North East, as well as many other branches across the Society.
Find your local branch
Example of our volunteering work
One example of our volunteering work is The Limes. The Limes is a centre for younger people with dementia and part of Bristol and South Gloucestershire branch. It is based on the Kingswood Foundation Estate, and the Society was recently offered some land to create a garden.
Staff from the local Temple Quay partnership (which includes companies such as the Bank of Ireland, City Inn, Bond Pearce and DAS) joined forces to help make the garden a reality.
Joanne O'Neill, manager at the Limes, was thrilled when she heard of the offer of help,
I had great plans but knew we had limited resources. Thanks to the partnership and to garden designer Sue Oakey, we now have two specific garden areas. Our clients will be able to assist in looking after the garden. I cannot thank everyone enough.
The John Cabot Academy, which backs onto the Limes, has offered to make benches as part of a design and technology course. The college's own charity committee has offered to fund the materials needed. Julia Ashley, regional director for the West of England is delighted,
The commitment shown by the businesses and college proves what can be achieved by local communities working together, and I hope this is just the beginning. Several participants have offered to volunteer on a more regular basis to help keep the garden up to scratch.
Opportunities to volunteer with the Society are growing all the time. Around 500 people have applied to volunteer via our website in the past year, and with the introduction of new recruitment materials we are making Alzheimer's Society volunteering an attractive option.
To all our volunteers, we'd like to take the opportunity during this Volunteers' Week to say a big thank you.
Find out how you can volunteer for Alzheimer's Society
