Angela Crawley MP for Lanark and Hamilton East is helping to mark the tremendous contribution made each year by volunteers to the Scottish economy and society.
From 1 to 12 June, Volunteers’ Week Scotland is taking place as part of a UK-wide series of events to highlight the invaluable work done by volunteers up and down the country.
Events have taken place in communities as far apart as Shetland and Galashiels. This year Volunteers’ Week is running for an extra five days to coincide with the Queen’s Patron’s Lunch on 12 June.
Commenting, Angela said:
“Volunteers not only play a critical role in Lanark and Hamilton East but they play a crucial role across the country.
“I have seen first-hand how important volunteer’s contributions to my constituency has been. Be it in the Hamilton Foodbank, the Larkhall and District Volunteers Group or in New Beginnings Carluke.
“Each has provided an outstanding service to their respective communities. Giving hope and help to those that need it most.
“I’m supporting Volunteers Week Scotland to show my thanks for the tremendous work they do.”
George Thomson, Chief Executive of Volunteer Scotland said:
“Volunteers’ Week Scotland is a chance to personally thank volunteers for their contribution to our lives, and to celebrate the community building they bring about in many different kinds of activities .
“It’s an opportunity to look around us and see the wide variety of volunteering that people do every day in our communities, and also to think about what we might do ourselves to help.
“We want to encourage more people, from more diverse backgrounds, to volunteer more regularly in ways that’s friendly, uplifting and rewarding.”
The latest research tells us that 27 per cent of Scottish adults provided unpaid help to organisations or groups in the last 12 months. 75 per cent of them do so for up to 10 hours a week. These volunteers offer up their skills and time across an enormous range of activities, through which most of us have benefitted in some way.
This year’s focus is on providing an opportunity for beneficiaries to say thank you to their local volunteers. Volunteer Scotland and partners are encouraging anyone that’s benefitted from volunteering to get involved.