New bank holiday in 2012 would seal a triumphant year for volunteering

A new bank holiday should be introduced in 2012 to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the London Olympics and Paralympics and seal a triumphant year for volunteers across the UK, says a coalition of organisations backing a Community Day bank holiday today (Monday 26th October 2009).

Communities across the UK are set to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in May 2012. The London Olympics and Paralympics in July and August will depend on their 70,000 volunteers. A new bank holiday in late October would be the perfect opportunity to recognise and celebrate the nation’s volunteering efforts, says the coalition.

The coalition, which includes CSV (Community Service Volunteers, the TUC, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Volunteering England and the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), is calling for a new Community Day bank holiday to celebrate volunteering and encourage people to take part in community events.

Activities that could take place on the day might include organising a street party, running a local sports day, clearing up a nature reserve or local park, or helping at a local animal shelter.

Official statistics show that nearly two thirds of the population take part in volunteering activities at least once a year and over one in three people participate at least once a month. The Community Day coalition believes that dedicating a new bank holiday to volunteering will encourage more people to take part more often.

Research shows that volunteering contributes significantly to the UK economy, boosts people’s wellbeing, prevents isolation and makes them more contented too.

The coalition would like to see a new bank holiday in late October to break the four month gap between the August and Christmas bank holidays – the longest gap between public holidays in the calendar.

Great Britain currently has eight bank holidays a year, compared to an EU average of 10.9 days. Only Romania has fewer bank holidays.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Communities across the UK have been hit hard by the recession. When times are tough, people look to their friends, family and local communities for support. Millions of people support their local communities every week in some way or other and this work should be properly recognised and encouraged.

“With the Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics to look forward to, 2012 is set to be a vintage year for volunteering. A new Community Day bank holiday would be the perfect way to celebrate the nation’s achievements and encourage more people to volunteer.”

Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, Executive Director of UK volunteering charity CSV said:

“Volunteers raise reading levels, help patients to eat, tackle child abuse by supporting families and reduce levels of crime.

“We know that two thirds of the thousands of people who volunteer every October for Make a Difference Day have never volunteered before and that two thirds of those who try it out go on to volunteer again. It’s clear there is untapped energy out there.

“Eleven million people tell researchers they would volunteer if somebody asked them.  A Community Day bank holiday would help to attract even more people to give time to benefit others.”

Notes for editors

Participation in informal voluntary activities by region, April-December 2008

 Source: ONS Cohesion Research April 2009

- The 2005 Home Office Citizenship Survey estimated that volunteering was worth more than £40 billion per year www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr4905.pdf

Further press information
 
CSV
Jason Tanner, CSV on 020 7812 0039 / 07941 433598
Melissa Goss, CSV on 020 7812 0037 / 07725 808052

TUC
Liz Chinchen   T: 020 7467 1248    M: 07778 158175    E: media@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley    T: 020 7467 1337    M: 07900 910624      E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk