Newham Council is marking International Volunteer Day (5 December 2022) by recognising the selfless work done by our volunteers across the borough to support others and build resilient communities.
Over the last three years, our Newham volunteers have been pivotal in not only supporting a global pandemic, but more recently, supporting national crisis such as the cost of living.
Councillor Amar Virdee said: “International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2022 - I am honoured to mark International Volunteer Day, which celebrates the theme of solidarity through volunteering. Today is an opportunity to recognise those unsung heroes within our communities that use their spare time to help others and make a difference. In Newham, our volunteers are from all different backgrounds and we are proud to be an inclusive borough. I thank all Newham volunteers for their selfless service and our partners in the voluntary, community and faith sectors.”
The work of our volunteers in Newham is incredibly important, offering a whole range of services from Volunteer Befrienders who visit isolated residents on a weekly basis to volunteer led Sporting Memories sessions.
The Council received 452 new registrations and 237 volunteers from the Newham’s Volunteers Programme have volunteered for at least once, recording 8208 of volunteering hours between April and December this year alone.
Jaswinder, a Newham volunteer said: “After retiring, volunteering allowed me to keep in contact with the local community and I enjoyed giving some time back to the community. I have taken part in many volunteering opportunities ranging from knitting and pottery classes, to the big sports events. This has been great way to make my free time impactful and useful to others. It keeps me happy and healthy, which means I am happy in my personal life too.”
To find out more information about volunteering and how you can register to become a volunteer, email volunteers@newham.gov.uk or visit www.newham.gov.uk/volunteering.
Read our Volunteer Strategy (PDF)
