Britons are being encouraged to take up hundreds of thousands of volunteering roles highlighted as part of coronation celebrations that aim to reflect the sector’s central role in the UK’s “national story”.
Love Island star Faye Winter and Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Deborah Meaden are among the celebrities promoting The Big Help Out, with more than 1,500 charities involved.
New opportunities offered to members of the public via the organisation’s app from Monday March 20 include options to help the elderly, the environment, support animal welfare and work within their local communities.
The initiative is a formal part of the King’s coronation, with people encouraged to either lend a helping hand on the May 8 bank holiday or arrange another opportunity to volunteer their time or skills.
The Big Help Out app can be searched by postcode, the type of activity needed or the organisations involved.
The project aims to raise awareness of volunteering opportunities throughout the UK and was devised by leading charities, including the Scouts, the Royal Voluntary Service and Guide Dogs.
Organisers hope for an unprecedented community mobilisation to “underscore the central role volunteering plays in our national story” and to inspire a new generation of volunteers throughout Charles’s reign.
The minister for ceremonial events, including the coronation, Stuart Andrew, said: “The Big Help Out will shine a spotlight on the power of volunteering to help our communities. It is a tribute to His Majesty the King’s lifetime of public service and a wonderful way to begin this new age.
“I encourage everyone to get involved to celebrate the coronation of Their Majesties the King and the Queen Consort.”
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