2000 Val Volunteers Seek Charities In Crisis
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 18 April 2020
A campaign by Voluntary Action LeicesterShire – in partnership with Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council – has seen an unprecedented response from its appeal for volunteers.
In just two weeks, over 2000 community-minded individuals have responded to the call-out, offering their help, expertise – or sometimes just an ear to listen - to crisis-stricken charities and voluntary groups across the city and county who have seen their normal support network collapse due to the Coronavirus outbreak and lockdown measures.
So far, Voluntary Action LeicesterShire – who are the Nationally Accredited Volunteer Centre for Leicester and Leicestershire - have been able to ‘match-make’ the skills of 639 of the 2000 to voluntary groups or projects who have initially stepped forward – including a major project for Loughborough University.
But today, they are making a fresh appeal…
The Leicester-based ‘charity hub’ is, today, making a fresh appeal to charity projects or voluntary groups themselves, who may be struggling under the radar and who could be supported through this initiative, to get in touch as there are a further 1300 willing volunteers yet to be placed – be that in providing front line assistance, back-office support or for DBS-linked work. VAL are also keen to stress that these individuals come with a VAL assurance and due diligence has been operated, which means the right person (or people) can be matched to the right group.
Kevin Allen Khimani, Executive Manager at Voluntary Action LeicesterShire comments;
“Despite the much-needed support that was announced by the Chancellor last Thursday, the reality is there are thousands of charities here in the city and county that won’t qualify for this help; they fall between the cracks.
"Couple this with the fact that their normal infrastructure has disappeared without warning and there is a very real risk of these individuals and micro-charities having to cease their invaluable work in the community. The extended lockdown period only compounds this further."
He continues;
“We, at Voluntary Action LeicesterShire, have an army of volunteers on stand-by to support our sector. We would not only urge charities and voluntary groups to get in touch if they need support and assistance, but also the general public to help us identify those groups or individuals who need help urgently.
"In making a five-minute call to the support team, we can mobilise the right support these charities are crying out for. Simply, we’re urging them to #AskVAL."
Voluntary Action LeicesterShire can be contacted on 0116 257 5050 or www.VALonline.org.uk
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