5/21/2010
LANCASHIRE County Council is hosting a series of events to celebrate National Volunteers' Week.
Volunteers’ Week is an annual event which will run from June 1 to June 7. It celebrates the invaluable contribution that thousands of Lancashire's volunteers make to their local communities. The Week aims to raise awareness of the many volunteering opportunities in the county while inspiring others to get involved.
The County Council's Volunteer Service Manager, Julie Sumner, said:
“The first National Volunteers' Week took place in 1984. Since then, the celebrations have gone from strength to strength, with a growing number of events in Lancashire aimed at recruiting volunteers.
"Volunteers can make a positive difference both in the lives of individual people and in their wider community. They can provide companionship and friendship for socially-isolated people, including older people, those with physical and learning disabilities and carers.
"Volunteering can involve shopping in town, going to a football match, or just having a coffee with someone in your local community.
Julie added: "As well as making a vital contribution in their communities, volunteers often benefit themselves; for instance, volunteering helps people to get into employment or to change career, to stay active and to reduce social isolation.
"Students can also benefit from volunteering. Some courses require students to volunteer giving them real experience of different client groups or learning about communities and how to combat social isolation.
"Our service covers the whole of Lancashire and we offer training and education opportunities for volunteers and a chance to make new friends.”
To find out more about volunteering, including the events in Lancashire, visit the volunteering pages on the county council's website at www.lancashire.gov.uk/volunteer
Posted: 5/21/2010