Get ready for the nation’s biggest single day of volunteering, Make a Difference Day on Saturday 29 October 2011 by UK volunteering charity, CSV. This is one of the biggest mass mobilisations of people throughout the country to benefit their communities, what will you be doing?

Tens-of-thousands people have a positive impact on a huge range of causes that include helping premature babies through to creating homes for snakes, bees and newts and protecting ancient burial mounds.

Every year, research shows that for many people this is the first time they will volunteer. Nearly two-thirds go on to volunteer again once they ‘catch the bug’.  CSV Make a Difference Day is the perfect opportunity to get ‘stuck in’, make friends, get fit, spend time with the family and get to know the neighbours. Last year more than 70,000 people took part – almost twice the size of the London Marathon!

Research by ICM and commissioned by CSV Make a Difference Day reveals the positive impact of volunteering, that:

•    Nearly half of all volunteers (47%) say volunteering improves their physical fitness.
•    More than half the population (55%) feel happier when they help a neighbour or friend with a problem, rising to 67% for the over 65s
•    A quarter (25%) who volunteer more than five times a year say it helps them lose weight
•    Up to half of people (48%) who volunteers say volunteering makes them less depressed.
•    Up to 63% of people say volunteering helps them feel less stressed.
 

Sign up to the CSV Make a Difference Day bulletin emails to register your interest. Whether you want to take part with your company, school, community group, or even go it alone, get in touch by visiting www.csv.org.uk/difference or calling FREEPHONE 0800 284 533.

For press information call: Francesca Toma on 020 7812 0037 / 07966 168686 or Jason Tanner on 020 7812 0038 / 07941 433598

Notes for Editors:

CSV Make a Difference Day takes place on Saturday 29 October 2011 and activities take part a week either side. Over three quarters of a million people have taken part since the launch of CSV Make a Difference Day in 1996, and thousands more are expected to give time rather than money to improve their local community this year. The campaign is organised by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) www.csv.org.uk

CSV creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action.