It’s time for Volunteers’ Week, the annual UK-wide campaign to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers.
It’s Volunteers’ Week – and it’s our chance to shout from the rooftops (or at least from our social channels):
‘As Volunteers Week in Wales begins, let’s celebrate the collective brilliance of our volunteers! Your individual acts of kindness and support, multiplied across the nation, create a powerful force for good. You bring joy, strengthen our communities, ensure vital services flourish, and help our environment thrive. Thank you, Wales’ volunteers, for the incredible difference you make!’- Felicitie Walls, Volunteering Manager, WCVA
This week, from 2-8 June 2025, we’ll be joining the rest of the UK to celebrate 41 years of Volunteers’ Week. It’s a time to reflect, appreciate, and most importantly – say thank you.
A SIMPLE THANK YOU
We know that volunteers are the lifeblood of communities. Whether they’re mentoring young people, clearing footpaths, running foodbanks, or simply offering a friendly voice on the phone – their contribution is priceless.
But recognition doesn’t need to be grand. A simple thank-you card, a shout-out on social media, or even a shared cuppa and chat can go a long way in making someone feel valued, and know that they matter.
It is the perfect time to think about what you can do to show appreciation for the volunteers who make the mission of your organisation possible, not just for this national campaign week, but throughout the year, regularly, often and with meaning.
SHOWING YOUR APPRECIATION
You could:
- Say ‘thank you’ directly to a volunteer – often the simplest, smallest approaches can make biggest difference
- Share feedback with volunteers about the impact volunteers in your organisation make
- Send a personal note from a Volunteer Co-ordinator, the CEO or a trustee, or a beneficiary
- Make time to have a cuppa and a chat with a volunteer
- Share a volunteer’s story on your website or social media. If it’s this week, make sure you tag #VolunteersWeek and #WythnosGwirfoddolwyr
GET INVOLVED
Let’s make this Volunteers’ Week one to remember – one that shows volunteers that they really matter, celebrates their contributions, and opens new doors for even more people to get involved.
To find out more, please visit the Volunteers’ Week website.
LOVE YOUR VOLUNTEERS?
The best way to show you value your volunteers is to invest the time in creating high quality volunteering experiences that best meet the individual capabilities, motivations and aspirations. Making sure that your volunteering opportunities are spaces in which volunteers can feel safe, included and welcome.
To find out what this means in practice, take a look at the Code of Practice for Involving Volunteers, the suite of volunteering resources on TSSW Knowledge Hub and the Investing in Volunteers standards, a good practice award, which can be used as a benchmark.
HAVE YOU HEARD?
There’s a ‘new approach to volunteering’ being developed for Wales currently out for consultation – have your say and take part in the survey.