Dorset charity urge more people to "make a difference" to mark King's coronation
King Charles III will dedicate his coronation to volunteers up and down the country
Volunteer Centre Dorset are encouraging people to "make a difference" by volunteering during the King's coronation.
King Charles III will be using his coronation to shine a light on the importance of volunteering and hopes to inspire people to lend a hand.
Marie Waterman, the CEO of the Volunteer Centre Dorset, said: “The royal family have always been very keen support of volunteering and they have really led the way.”
Volunteering is an important part of the UK’s story, from those who volunteered during the Second World War to the 12 million people who stepped forward during the pandemic.
The nation has a strong volunteering spirit. In fact, Dorset has one of the highest number of volunteers in the country, according to the Volunteer Centre Dorset.
However, the number of volunteers has dropped significantly since the pandemic, likely due to the financial pressures many people face today, says Marie Waterman.
To combat this, work is being done to attract a new generation of volunteers. On the coronation Bank Holiday – Monday 8 May – a new initiative titled The Big Help Out will begin.
The Big Help Out will be a launchpad to rebuild a culture of volunteering. Thousands of community groups and charities nationally will mark the King’s coronation by giving everybody the chance to try volunteering for themselves and make a difference locally.
Marie Waterman noted: “The overwhelming message is that volunteers are desperately needed in all kinds of roles right across Dorset, all year round.”
She added: “If every person aged 14 and over in Dorset made a pledge to volunteer, for just one hour, we would have a contribution of 326,057 hours of help and together we could make a massive difference.
“We need as many people as possible to get involved in local charities, sports groups, youth clubs, befriending, trustee, fundraising, social action or helping out with one-off tasks as a community volunteer like many of us did during the pandemic.”
She believes volunteering gives you a sense of purpose and, in turn, improves your mental wellbeing
“We've had volunteers that have said “this has saved my life,” perhaps they came to us at a really difficult time in their lives, and it's just given them that that sense of purpose,” Marie noted.
National celebrations, such as the King’s Coronation, spark a surge in volunteering, as the spirit of the nation ignites, and people come forward in times of celebration
Marie expressed the sense of pride she feels being associated with such a landmark moment, she said: “To be linked with the coronation is something that will stay with me forever, it makes me feel really proud to be a volunteer and to be part of an organisation such as ours.”