Start planning now for Volunteers’ Week! Volunteers’ Week takes place from 1 to 7 June every year.
This year’s theme is ‘a time to say thanks’. It’s a chance for organisations to run activities that showcase and celebrate their volunteers and the contribution volunteering makes to communities. Have you started thinking about what your organisation might do to celebrate Volunteers’ Week yet?
There is a lot to consider this year. Almost all government restrictions have been lifted, but COVID-19 cases are currently still high in London, so you may want to incorporate COVID safety measures or have contingency plans. You may decide that your Volunteers’ Week events will be (or could be) outdoors, smaller scale, socially distanced, or online.
This year Volunteers’ Week coincides with The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend (two bank holidays on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June) and the school half-term holiday in Tower Hamlets from Monday 30 May to Friday 3 June. It also coincides with The Big Lunch (2–5 June) and Thank You Day on Sunday 5 June. It will be a very busy time, and many people will be on holiday, so you might want to combine celebratory events, or hold your volunteer celebration later in June when more staff and volunteers might be available.
There are loads of ideas and inspiration on the Volunteers’ Week website, including tips on planning an event, using social media, lots of useful templates (certificate, press release, Zoom background) and comms and logo packs (eg fun graphics, example emails and tweets, website banners and much more).
In the spirit of collaboration, you might want to consider joining up celebrations with a local partner organisation. Happy organising!