Renowned for being reliable, more Taureans than any other star sign took part in CSV Make a Difference Day 2003, making a positive impact on their local community. Other star signs who scored highly include 'kind and sympathetic' Cancer, 'shy' Capricorn and 'the indecisive' Libra.

'Passionate' Scorpios seem to be preoccupied with celebrating their own birthdays in October. Despite being described as the most powerful characters in the zodiac, findings show that just 6% of CSV Make a Difference Day 2003 volunteers were Scorpios. Surprise low scorers were Aquarians, often deemed to have 'a strong social conscience.' (See below for results).

Organised by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) and supported by Barclays community investment programme, CSV Make a Difference Day is now the UK's biggest day of direct volunteering action. It takes place this year on Saturday 30 October, when nearly 100,000 people are expected to give time rather than money to improve their local community.

A record breaking 88,000 volunteers took part in 2003, improving children's hospices, transforming shelters for homeless families, turning waste ground into parks, bridging cultural divides and tackling bullying.

Elizabeth Salter, the CSV Make a Difference Day campaign manager said:

"CSV Make a Difference Day is something everyone can get involved with - whether you are a super organised Virgo who gets a team together to renovate a local school playground, a sociable Leo who invites older people to tea at the Ritz, or a caring Cancer who helps homeless families - you can choose what you do to make a real difference to other people on the day."

To find out more about taking part in CSV Make a Difference Day, call free on 0800 284 533 or visit www.csv.org.uk/difference.
Research Results from 360 CSV Make a Difference Day 2003 participants surveyed:

Taurus 15%
Cancer 10%
Aries 9%
Capricorn 9%
Libra 8%
Pisces 8%
Leo 8%
Virgo 8%
Gemini 7%
Aquarius 6%
Scorpio 6%
Sagittarius 6%

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. CSV Make a Difference Day is organised by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) and supported by Barclays community investment programme, the Community Fund and the Home Office Active Communities Unit.

2. CSV (Community Service Volunteers) is the UK's leading volunteering organisation and creates opportunities for people to play an active part in the life of their community through volunteering, training and community action. Each year 129,000 people give 3.8 million hours of their time as volunteers through CSV.

3. Barclays PLC actively encourages employee involvement through its Employee Volunteering grant giving, Volunteer 2day time giving and £ for £ match-funding schemes, as well as encouraging the wider public to do the same through supporting flagship projects such as CSV Make a Difference Day and Barclays SiteSavers.

4. "We actively encourage our employees to give their time and effort to local charities, urban regeneration, fundraising and all forms of volunteering. We are proud of their efforts and not a little humbled by them." Matt Barrett, Group Chief Executive.

5. Around 20,000 Barclays employees from around the world took part in community activities in 2003. Nearly 7,500 Barclays employees took part in Make a Difference Day activities alone, including staff in Africa and Spain. Volunteering projects ranged from mentoring, clearing beaches, serving meals in hostels for homeless people to gardening, painting and decorating.

6. Barclays takes its social and environmental responsibilities seriously, supporting social and financial inclusion both nationally and at grass roots level to make a real and lasting difference to the community. In 2002 the bank continued to be one of the UK's top corporate contributors, making a global commitment of £32m and one in four Barclays employees volunteered for their local communities.

For further information see social responsibility at http://www.barclays.com

Media enquiries contact: Peter Mackey, Head of Sponsorship PR Barclays PLC on 020 7 699 3761.