We are working with Torbay Community Development Trust to get more people to sign up to become a volunteer ahead of The Big Help Out initiative which starts on Monday 8 May.

The aim of The Big Help Out is to raise awareness of and provide opportunities for people to experience volunteering and make a different in their communities.

At Torbay’s Coronation Celebration on Sunday 7 May (Torre Abbey Meadows, Torquay), Torbay Community Development Trust (TCDT) will be running a volunteering hub where more than 15 local organisations including the NHS, Girl Guiding Torbay, Crafty Fox, Cricketfield Community Garden, Paignton Festival, Mencap, Time Bank and many more will be showcasing the opportunities available, the positive impact volunteering has and how you can get involved.

As well as finding out about volunteering opportunities, residents will be able to sign up to local Big Help Out events taking place on Monday 8 May. This will give people the opportunity to join thousands of organisations across the country who are getting together on the final day of the special bank holiday weekend (6-8 May) to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.

Volunteering in Torbay really started to grow during the pandemic, as thousands of local people supported their neighbours with shopping, friendship, and household chores, with many more coming forward to assist with running the vaccination centre at the Riviera Centre.

Volunteering can really make a difference in the local community. It has many benefits, not only to the people who are receiving the support, but those who give their time find it immensely rewarding. Strong friendships are built, with volunteers supporting each other through bereavements and celebrations. It also helps to grow people’s confidence, with new skills being learnt every day.

Volunteering is open to everyone, with individuals deciding how much time they can give, it can be as little as 30-minutes a week that can make all the difference.

Our flagship events such as the English Riviera Airshow, and more recently the Bay of Lights Illumination Trail and Royal celebrations rely on volunteers to help make the events the success they are. Anyone interested in volunteering for the English Riviera Airshow (3 and 4 June) are encouraged to email events@torbay.gov.uk

Young people who volunteer in Torbay have gone on to find permanent employment, demonstrating that the skills learnt when volunteering are really valued by employers. Volunteering also looks great on applications for further and higher education.

With many volunteering opportunities across Torbay – often in sectors that people might not think need volunteers, it is worth checking out the volunteer hub on Sunday 7 May.

Look out for more details from TCDT as they share volunteering opportunities and stories over the coming weeks and months. https://torbaycdt.org.uk/

Big Help Out events running on Monday 8 May (more to be announced)

• Torquay Train Station, volunteers needed for the Garden Project. For more information contact theotanser@torbaycdt.org.uk
• Cricketfield Community Garden, working on the garden. For more information contact danbest@torbaycdt.org.uk
• Wellwood Village Green, Ilsham and down to Meadfoot Beach, litter pick. For more information contact marianneparker@torbaycdt.org.uk

About The Big Help Out

The Big Help Out is a voluntary initiative supported by some of the UK’s biggest volunteer organisations. The Big Help Out aims to raise awareness of volunteering throughout the UK and provide opportunities for people to experience volunteering and make a difference in their communities. This is not a profit making or fundraising initiative. https://thebighelpout.org.uk/