Monday 7th July 2014
CHEERS TO THE VOLUNTEERS
Local volunteers are the magic ingredient that holds communities together. According to Volunteer Scotland – the national body for volunteering – each year, 30% of adults give over 160 million hours of precious time in a vast range of community settings.
So it was great pleasure to back a recent motion in Parliament congratulating the charity on its 30th Anniversary.
On this celebration, I think it’s worth reminding ourselves what Inverclyde would be like without its volunteers both young and old.
Well, for one, there would be fewer food banks for families struggling with the cost of living.
There would be nobody to manage the local kids’ football teams or the boxing club in Port Glasgow. There would be no starter packs. There would be far fewer people to care for our elderly.
And the local Samaritans Branch which gives emotional support in a range of situations, from those that have experienced abuse or are suffering from a family bereavement, to people who have lost their job would have to close.
These are just some examples which highlight the importance of volunteers to our local community. I’m sure you could list many more.
All in all the giving spirit of our volunteers make Inverclyde the strong, resilient community that it is.Their work is a reminder to all of us that in an increasingly sceptical world, there are good people out there, dedicating their energy to helping others.
On the 30th Anniversary of Volunteer Scotland I hope you will join me in saying cheers to the volunteers.