Volunteers Week is a time to say thanks

This week Sutton Council is celebrating Volunteers Week (1-7 June). It has not only been an opportunity to celebrate and thank volunteers, but has been a chance to see the roles on offer and meet with different organisations. I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO of Volunteer Centre Sutton and some of her team in their new premises at the Sound Lounge.

I was amazed at some of the figures presented to me and I wanted to share some of them more widely, so that you can see how much volunteers and the Centre have done in this past year.

Over 3,000 volunteers registered during the year, and here is a sample of what why did:

• 5,085 well-being phone calls made.
• 6,781 PPE delivered to GPpractices.
• 391 prescription medications delivered.
• 344 volunteers supported the Council by delivering weekly food boxes.
• 186 volunteers gave over 10,000 hours to the vaccination programme at Nonsuch Mansion.
• Sutton Befrienders supported 167 adults on a weekly basis.

There are still lots of volunteering opportunities available - YMCA are looking for a sales assistant. If you are good with figures, some  organisations are looking for a treasurer. Cheam Scouts have a range of opportunities, and Sutton befrienders are keen to recruit more people as the demand from people experiencing loneliness has increased.

Why not have a think over the weekend and browse the different opportunities available on the Volunteer Centre website. You could join the many people that make Sutton a great place to live and where community matters.

Kind regards,

Councillor Marian James