Tony Lloyd, MP for Rochdale, is saying a big thank you to volunteers this National Volunteer Week (1-7 June).

Tony said, “It has been an exceptionally difficult couple of years for many people in Rochdale and beyond, and we all remember the key role volunteers played during the pandemic response.

“The contribution of volunteers is often unseen and unrecognised, but their impact is felt by many in the heart of every community.

“Some people volunteer from home, others volunteer in-person with a local charity or organisation, but the point is that their contributions have not stopped despite the uncertain times we found ourselves in.

“Volunteers’ Week is a time to say thanks, not just to those who continued to carry out their vital work but also those have not been able to because of the pandemic.”

Charities and organisations across Rochdale and the UK will also be holding events to thank their volunteers and celebrate the power of volunteering. Last year there were over 600 events across the country, from award ceremonies to tea parties and barbecues.

For many charities the week will be a chance to showcase the range of volunteering opportunities on offer. Volunteer fairs and other events will be encouraged people to try volunteering for the first time and help people find out how, through volunteering, they can make a difference to a cause they are passionate about.

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Notes for editors:-

· Find out more on the Volunteers’ Week website: https://volunteersweek.org/

· Find out about events happening in your area here: https://volunteersweek.org/get-involved/events/

· For volunteering statistics visit https://data.ncvo.org.uk/a/almanac17/volunteering-overview/

· NCVO recently published new research, Time Well Spent, on the experience of volunteers. The research is the largest study of the experiences of people who volunteer in over a decade and provides a range of important insights for those involved in volunteering policy, and organisations who involve volunteers. You can also read the executive summary.