Plymouth Celebrates Shining Stars Across the City on International Volunteers Day

Plymouth is celebrating its engaged community of volunteers and the vital work they do as part of their community.

With a recent Residents Survey * highlighting that the city tops a list of comparator cities in the South of England for the percentage of people volunteering within 12 months – with a huge 29.3% of residents engaging – Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City is recognising the positive impact of its very own volunteers across different parts of the community on the day created by United Nations General Assembly and dedicated to recognising volunteers all over the world and promote the spirit of volunteerism at local, national and international levels (December 5).

One of the programmes created to promote support is the Community Empowerment Programme run by Plymouth City Council, with 646 volunteers directly associated with the council. The Good Neighbour Support Volunteer (GNSV) Scheme was launched in 2021 as part of this program, to help meet the needs of local residents which are beyond PCC’s statutory obligations, most particularly to help with shopping and spending time for friendly conversation and alleviating isolation.

Suzanne, one of the volunteers part of this scheme, said: “With too much time on my hands I decided to offer whatever talents I might have to the very worthwhile Good Neighbours’ Volunteering service. 

“So far, I’ve learned tips and hints from a chef and been humbled by the stoicism of a lady who was dealt a very cruel medical blow, plus the bonus of gaining two new friends so far. I will continue to spread the word to influence others to volunteer to enhance a life – and certainly one’s own.”

The volunteers involved – a dedicated team of 37 - build a solid and valuable relationship with the residents they visit, who often tell the team that their volunteer is the only person they see or who has time to talk with them and that the visit brightens their day, gives them something to look forward to, or that they don’t know how they’d manage without their volunteer.

But volunteers in the city are supporting more than just the community itself.

Another example of the way they positively affect the city as a whole is the role individuals are playing for the recently created Plymouth Sound National Marine Park – the first of its kind in the UK – which aims to involve every citizen in Plymouth, reconnecting them with its rich natural and historic heritage and ultimately, aims to transform the lives of its residents and beyond, through forging a new and sustainable relationship with the sea and its unique approach to marine citizenship.

From the Coastal Rangers Volunteers to many other key roles, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with Plymouth Sound.

Lloyd has been involved in a number of volunteering roles in the past. He says: “Having fully retired I was looking to get more involved and was excited about the whole Marine Park idea. You meet a wide range of different people and get to do some really interesting stuff which is helping the wider Plymouth community. It's also good fun, well run and flexible enough to never clash with my other commitments.

“Seeing such a wide range of people become more interested in what the National Marine Park is trying to achieve does have an impact. A number of people I have spoken to have applied to volunteer. It would be fantastic to think that you are helping the project to make Plymouth both nationally and internationally recognised for the management of its marine environment.”

The Box – Plymouth’s major award-winning museum, art gallery and archive - is a fantastic resource for the city and the South West as a whole and volunteers play a big part here too.

Rebecca Wickes, Volunteer Officer at The Box, continues:” ‘Our volunteer gallery guides deliver a warm and friendly welcome to our visitors, making sure they feel at home while they’re spending time at The Box and helping them to connect with our collections and exhibitions. They really help extend the arm of what we do and also bring different perspectives from their varied life experiences to the table, which helps us stay relevant. In return, they get a great opportunity to support our work, develop skills and meet other like-minded people. It’s a win-win!”

Volunteers in the city can also choose to get involved with Plymouth’s cruise ship visits and a variety of activities, including beach cleans and so much more.

Destination Plymouth Chief Executive Amanda Lumley concludes: “This is a fantastic opportunity to recognise all the people who support Britain’s Ocean City and make it an even better place to live, work and study, as well as a great destination to visit.

“Our volunteers shine bright at the heart of our beautiful city, and we invite more and more people to join the various schemes, which not only make a huge difference for the better but also allow the volunteers themselves to explore their skills and use them for the good of everyone.”

For more information on Plymouth City Council’s Community Empowerment Volunteering Programme, please visit: https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/volunteering

To find out more about volunteering with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, please visit: https://plymouthsoundnationalmarinepark.com/the-peoples-park-in-search-of-volunteers/

And to join The Box and support the city and the South West through what this incredible resource has offer, please visit: https://www.theboxplymouth.com/volunteer

To find out more about Britain’s Ocean City and the opportunities available, please visit: https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk