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Benefits of volunteering

June 5, 2020/in Frontpage, News /by wlcvsdeb

In this year’s Volunteers’ Week, we would also like to focus on some of our amazing organisations across West Lancashire, who rely upon volunteers to continue the vital work they […]

Volunteers’ Award Evening

June 3, 2020/in Frontpage, News /by wlcvsdeb

Every year during Volunteers’ Week, West Lancashire Volunteer Centre (part of West Lancs CVS) partners with West Lancashire Borough Council and West Lancs CCG to host an annual Volunteer Awards […]

Benefits of volunteering

June 5, 2020/in Frontpage, News /by wlcvsdeb

In this year’s Volunteers’ Week, we would also like to focus on some of our amazing organisations across West Lancashire, who rely upon volunteers to continue the vital work they […]

Volunteers’ Award Evening

June 3, 2020/in Frontpage, News /by wlcvsdeb

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Benefits of volunteering

June 5, 2020/in Frontpage, News /by wlcvsdeb

In this year’s Volunteers’ Week, we would also like to focus on some of our amazing organisations across West Lancashire, who rely upon volunteers to continue the vital work they do for the community – not just in these unprecedented times but year after year.

Each year we hold an annual volunteer awards evening in partnership with West Lancs Borough Council and this event provides a great opportunity for organisations to thank their volunteers. As this is currently not possible, we would like to share some quotes from some of our member organisations about the massive impact that volunteers have on their day to day work.

Our first organisation is Home-Start – a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through their challenging times. Homestart says:

‘Volunteers provide friendship, mentoring, solutions and support to families and are often there when no one else is. They are the backbone of our family support service and a lifeline for families.’

Tanhouse Morris Dancers has been running in Skelmersdale for 50 years, a major achievement in itself!. Angela Eadie says

‘Volunteers are our lifeblood – we would not run without them as a non-profit group. Thank you to them all! Most of our volunteers are dancers, ex dancers or relatives. As a volunteer myself, seeing the dancers thrive is a huge reward’.

West Lancs Ark offers a free advice and advocacy service to members of the community who maybe homeless, unemployed,ex-offenders or substance misusers. West Lancs Ark says:

‘It’s hard to find the words to explain how much we value our volunteers. They work hard, give their time, energy and skills to support both us as an organisation and our service users. Thank you in not enough!’

Not only do volunteers provide massive help to the organisations they volunteer with, they also get a lot out of the experience personally. Debbie is one of our CVS volunteers working with the Social Prescribing Service. She says:

‘Volunteering has brought a new dimension to my life. After leaving my paid job, I felt detached and a bit useless as I like to be involved and interact with people. Volunteering here has brought purpose back to my life. I feel I can make a small contribution and that’s all we can do – one phone call may seem like a drop in the ocean but the ocean is made up of many drops of water….’

Finally, a volunteer at local advice organisation SWILCAN echoes Debbie’s thoughts about volunteering:

‘Volunteering for an organisation like SWLICAN allows me to ensure anyone in a similar situation to myself never has to go through the isolation, fear and hopelessness you feel when trying to navigate the welfare system we are faced with.

This has morphed somewhat over the years to being an integral part of who I am. The small contribution I make has allowed me to grow as a human, to feel better about myself and to know I am making a difference – something I would never have achieved if I had not taken the plunge and made volunteering a large part of my life’

To all volunteers past, present and future – we THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

And don’t forget that if you are a volunteer involving organisation and you would like some support with actively recruiting new volunteers, we have a fully accredited Volunteer Centre that can support you.

Please email vc@wlcvs.org for more information or see our website: http://www.wlcvs.org/homepage/services/volunteering/

Volunteers’ Award Evening

June 3, 2020/in Frontpage, News /by wlcvsdeb

This event is always a really special night and is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the amazing work of the volunteers and the organisations that they support.

Sadly, this year we can’t host our usual awards event, however we would like to take this opportunity to award every single volunteer across West Lancashire with this very special certificate and to say THANK YOU for all that you do!!

Volunteers’ Week is the highlight of our voluntary sector year and despite the Coronavirus pandemic, this has felt like one of the best Volunteers’ Weeks ever because there is a lot to celebrate and be positive about. This year it is more important than ever to celebrate and highlight the dedication and hard work that has been demonstrated all over the borough during this time.

Greg Mitten, Chief Officer at West Lancs CVS says:

“Volunteering is at the very heart of our sector and it is the volunteers’ dedication, hard work and care for our community which inspires us all. In this time of crisis, again, it is the volunteering spirit which has led the way in bringing the community together to support and care for each other. To each and every volunteer, past and present, we say THANK YOU.”

The Mayor of West Lancs makes the evening really special and prestigious by presenting the awards. This year, Mayor of West Lancashire Cllr Gaynar Owen has recorded a special message of thanks instead. She has been really moved to hear of the many acts of kindness and is proud of the way local services and the voluntary sector has worked together to take care of people. Have a listen to her message here: https://vimeo.com/425536715…

Once again THANK YOU to all volunteers across West Lancashire who make West Lancs a wonderful place to be.

Happy Volunteers’ Week 2020 – we can’t wait until we can see you all in person again!

Image credit: “Thank you Volunteers cake.” by San José Public Library is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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Benefits of volunteering

Volunteers’ Award Evening

Benefits of volunteering

Volunteers’ Award Evening

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Benefits of volunteering

Volunteers’ Award Evening

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