Volunteers' Week celebrates the amazing contributions volunteers make to communities across the UK.

The celebration starts on the first Monday in June every year. It’s a chance to recognise, celebrate and thank the UK’s incredible volunteers for all they contribute to our local communities, the VCSE sector, and society as a whole.

• An estimated 14.2m people in the UK volunteered through a group, club or organisation in 2021/22.
• Almost one in five (16%) people report volunteering at least once a month (about 8.3m people in the UK).
• More than half of the UK population gets involved in informal volunteering – but this is less visible. Informal volunteering can involve things like going shopping, providing childcare or doing housework for free for someone who is not a relative or a friend.

If you’re interested in volunteering, here’s how to get started and some volunteering stories to inspire you.

For Organisations

Here's some things you can do to get the most out of Volunteers’ Week this year:

1. Download the toolkit - download and print cards, certificates, banners and more, plus use social media templates to thank your volunteers.
2. Use social media - social media is a great, free way to publicly celebrate and thank your volunteers.
3. Join our Celebration - come along to The Ridings on Thursday 6 June! Print your copy of our poster to encourage more local people to come along and find out more about volunteering.
4. Use Volunteer>Wakefield - add your volunteering opportunities to this website for free so that local people can find out who you're looking for.
5. Come along to the Volunteer Managers Network - the network shares best practice, provides information, and hosts practical workshops around all things volunteering – such as volunteer policies, management and practice.

"Now more than ever it’s important to recognise those who selflessly give up their time to help others. We can’t wait to celebrate the power volunteering has to bring communities together and be part of recognising its immense impact." - Sarah Vibert, CEO of NCVO