Warwickshire’s volunteering habits uncovered
Martin Dunne, the Lord-Lieutenant for Warwickshire, today called for nominations for the 2010 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, as new research reveals the majority of those across Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands region (62%) believe voluntary groups aren’t acknowledged enough publicly for the outstanding work they do.
The findings come from the first annual ‘Volunteering Index’, a report commissioned for the Award to uncover the nation’s voluntary habits*. It shows more than a quarter of those in the region (29%) takes time out to volunteer at least once a month.
Youth and the community are the focus of most in the region’s voluntary activities. While a third of volunteers in the region (34%) spends time working with young people and children, 31% gets involved in projects that will benefit their local area.
Further findings show:
* Sixteen per cent of people in the region give up time to volunteer at least once a week
* Most people in the region volunteer for the sense of achievement it offers (51%)
While 27% in the region volunteer to meet new people, a quarter do it because it’s fun and 11% for religious reasons
Commenting on the findings, the Lord-Lieutenant said: “There are great rewards to be had from volunteering – whether personal achievement and the development of new skills or a deeper connection with your local community – but it is clear many in Warwickshire believe that volunteers’ tireless efforts to benefit others should also be recognised publicly.
“Although this doesn’t tend to be a goal of volunteer groups themselves, celebrating exceptional work with such a prestigious National Honour as the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service can prove invaluable to continued success, support and donations, and help boost the profile of volunteering in Warwickshire generally. If you know of such a group, do consider nominating them.”
More than 600 groups around the UK have now won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, over the six years since it was created by Her Majesty as a National Honour equivalent to the MBE to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.
For more information on the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and how to nominate a group, visit http://www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk