Bear Grylls and charities from across the UK will today launch The Big Help Out – one of the centrepieces of the celebrations planned for the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort in May, just 100 days away.
The Big Help Out has been created by some of Britain’s best-known charities from the Scouts to the Royal Voluntary Service, Rotary to the National Trust and will take place on Monday 8th May – the Bank Holiday of the Coronation long weekend.
In tribute to His Majesty The King’s public service, The Big Help Out will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas. The aim of The Big Help Out is to use volunteering to bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation Weekend.
Launching The Big Help Out, Chief Scout, Bear Grylls said: “Volunteering has always been a huge part of what makes this country great – from families looking after evacuees during WWII to neighbours looking out for each other during the pandemic.
“But it’s not just in times of crisis that we step up. Volunteering – whether formal or informal – is what powers our communities from Scout leaders to football coaches, collecting the shopping for an elderly neighbour to helping out at the school fete.
“The Big Help Out will put volunteering centre stage for a day and give people who want to volunteer easy ways to join in. We are delighted to be a central part of the Coronation weekend, particularly given The King and The Queen Consort’s long history of support for volunteering. So please save the date – Monday 8th May – and join us the Big Help Out in your community.”
The charities behind the Big Help Out are today setting out the three core parts of the national day of volunteering:
- A public awareness campaign to raise understanding of the personal and societal benefits of volunteering.
- The creation of opportunities to join in in every community in the country on 8th May – a chance to take part in taster sessions and give volunteering a go. Communities can also set up their own events locally.
- Longer term opportunities to sign up to volunteer with opportunities made easily accessible via www.thebighelpout.org.uk.
The Big Help Out is supported by the Together Coalition and some of the nation’s best-known charities including the Royal Voluntary Service, the Scouts, NCVO, Rotary, and the National Trust.
Organisers hope for an unprecedented community mobilisation – not only to mark an event of national significance and underscore the central role volunteering plays in our national story, but to inspire a new generation of volunteers.
Bear Grylls will launch The Big Help Out at lunchtime today. Attendees will include Atul Khetarpal a Community Response Volunteer with the Royal Voluntary Service.
Atul said: “I have particularly enjoyed doing my bit as a Steward Volunteer to help protect my community from Covid, and I have met some brilliant people along the way. I will be continuing in my role for as long as I’m needed as it’s one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I know so many other people would volunteer if they knew how and I hope the Big Help Out will show people how easy and rewarding it is.”
Catherine Johnstone CBE, CEO of Royal Voluntary Service said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come together and have a go at volunteering. Whether it’s your first time, or you are an experienced volunteer, The Big Help Out will make it easy to get involved in something that matches your interests and fires your imagination. I hope it inspires many thousands of people to explore what volunteering has to offer them and their communities. Royal Voluntary Service is delighted to be part of this exciting initiative.”
Matt Hyde CEO of the Scouts and co-chair of The Big Help Out steering group said: “Scouts are proud to be leading this work with a broad coalition of volunteer-involving charities so we can recruit more volunteers to help others, learn new skills and to have a bit of fun along the way”
Brendan Cox, Co-founder of the Together Coalition said: “How we mark the Coronation will reflect the kind of country we are. Along with the pageantry and parties, we hope an opportunity to volunteer will leave a long-lasting legacy in communities right around the country.”
Sarah Vibert, CEO of NCVO: “We are proud to be part of The Big Help Out which will showcase that volunteering is for everyone, in every community. There are an amazingly diverse range of organisations which all have unique, life-enhancing volunteering opportunities. From the largest well-known charities to the smallest, grassroots organisations, to the public sector, volunteers, all are critical to supporting people and communities. We hope everyone will get involved and find out how volunteering is not only really fulfilling, but also offers the chance to meet new people, learn new skills and make a positive impact on the community you live in.”
Minister for Civil Society Stuart Andrew MP said: “The Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort will be a weekend like no other, bringing communities together to celebrate this historic occasion. The Big Help Out is a fitting tribute to The King’s life of public service and The Queen Consort’s long standing support for volunteering. It will be a fantastic opportunity for people to get involved in the great work being done by voluntary organisations in their local area. It will also give individuals the chance to see the wider benefits volunteering can bring to their own wellbeing and to efforts to tackle loneliness.”
Anita Kerwin-Nye, Executive Director of Strategy, Commercial & Engagement of YHA (England & Wales) said: “YHA is delighted to be part of the founding coalition for The Big Help Out. As one of the leading providers of residential volunteering experiences – from working parties in our hostel grounds to Duke of Edinburgh Gold Volunteering we know the impact of volunteering stays on health, wellbeing and community. We have exciting new opportunities over 2023.
“But we also recognise that people lead busy lives and can have limited time. Through our work on Generation Green have developed small #microvolunteering opportunities to protect nature that we hope families will take up over the new May bank holiday weekend.
“And – as part of our commitment to ensure that volunteering opportunities are open to the communities that we serve – we will work with our Outdoor Citizens network. We will fund and support volunteering and community action that is led by groups that are rooted in their communities – recognising that much volunteering takes place outside of large charities and national networks.”
Photo credits: Adobe Stock – Chris Boland/KrakenImages.com/Cultura Creative/tommoh29.
