Column: Emma Worsley, Calderdale Voluntary & Community - ​Calderdale Volunteers’ Week 2023 is a month away

​In Calderdale, we couldn’t even begin to describe and do justice to how much of a positive impact volunteers have on our community.

Without the kindness and commitment of volunteers, local voluntary organisations wouldn’t be able to support and help as many people as they do.

From volunteer befrienders to community drivers, from gardeners to trustees, volunteers keep services running smoothly and improving local lives.

For the past three years, the VSI Alliance has produced a bespoke pin badge for Calderdale volunteers to wear with pride.

This year is no different!

Designed by Joy Edwards, a volunteer for The Friends of Sowerby Bridge Railway Station, the 2023 Volunteers’ Week badge and its theme symbolises the importance of volunteers to help build connections with local communities.

VSI Alliance Volunteer Lead, Charlie Johnston, said:

“Volunteers' Week is a chance to celebrate and recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make across Calderdale.

Now in its third year, the Volunteer Week pin badge is a small token of appreciation to Calderdale volunteers for the huge amounts of time they give, the energy they offer and all the practical things they do to make our lovely borough even lovelier… for us all.

Thank you to Joy for designing this year’s badge.

We have much planned over Volunteers’ Week to both showcase Calderdale volunteering and thank those who already volunteer with organisations across the borough.”

Volunteers’ Week may be a month away but we at the VSI Alliance will be launching a new campaign in the lead up to the start of June.

Linking in with The Big Help Out on Monday, May 8 – a unique volunteering initiative forming part of the King’s Coronation – The Calderdale Volunteering Pledge will encourage us all to Do a little, Give a little and Offer a little.

The pledge is to show that there are lots of different ways to help and give back to your local community. This could include:

Do some volunteering in Calderdale for at least 6 hours over the next year

Give a monetary donation to local voluntary groups in your town (instead of national charities)

Offer your old (but good) clothes to a local charity shop

The Calderdale Volunteer Pledge will launch on Monday, May 8 on the VSI Alliance website.

For those who’d wish to get started on their pledge straight away, the VSI Alliance website also has lots of information about local volunteering opportunities.

Please visit www.vsialliance.org.uk/opportunities