Calling all residents: come to the Volunteering Fair LB 2024

The volunteering recruitment fair is being held at All Saints Church, Leighton Buzzard on Saturday 8 June from 10am to 3pm including a presentation by Paul Atkin from CVS Bedfordshire at 2pm and networking and celebration of volunteering.

The event is taking place during the nationwide Big Help Out Weekend and during national Volunteers Week. It offers the opportunity for local people to speak directly with range of groups and charities to learn more about potential volunteer opportunities face to face.

The fair is being held at a time of a reported decline in volunteering nationally. At the same time, according to research conducted by the NCVO, satisfaction among volunteers has also fallen.

The fair aims to bridge a gap and allow people to ask questions face to face about available opportunities and hopefully inspire people to step forward and volunteer. Whilst many people seek to volunteer, there are also lots of potential barriers such as lack of time, inflexible schedules or simply a lack of awareness of available opportunities. The fair collectively aims to dispel some of those myths.

Organiser Edwina Osborne says, "If you are unsure of whether to volunteer or not please just come and attend. The fair is perfect chance to find out more and ask questions. There are so many benefits to volunteering including building bonds and friendships, personal growth, chance to make a direct personal impact and finding your passion. I myself am a volunteer and know personally the value and reward of volunteering. Indeed his event is being organised on a voluntary basis specifically to help local groups find new volunteers."

The fair will consist of around 25 groups with a stand, who all need local support and involvement. Organisations currently confirmed as having a stall are as follows:

• Leighton Linslade Helpers
• Autism Bedfordshire
• Dogs for Good
• Citizens Advice
• National Animal Welfare Trust Bedfordshire
• Hospice At Home Volunteers
• Mencap Leighton Buzzard and District
• Girlguiding Bedfordshire
• Spectrum Community Arts
• St John Ambulance
• Cruse Bereavement Support
• KidsOut
• AbilityNet
• Friends of Tiddenfoot Waterside Park
• Leighton Buzzard Railway
• DAFS: Drugs and Alcohol Family Support
• Timebanking Central Bedfordshire
• LB Otters Swimming Club
• East Anglian Air Ambulance
• Mind BLMK
• Reclaim Life
• Friends of Knolls Wood
• Leighton Linslade Corinthians
• Totally Leighton Buzzard / Repair Cafe LB
• CVS Bedfordshire

The Fair is also an opportunity for networking and celebration of volunteering for the charities.

The event will be officially opened by the new Leighton Buzzard Town Mayor.

The event also marks the start of Great Big Green Week Leighton Buzzard, which is part of a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of action to support nature and to tackle climate change.

The All Saints Church cafe (run by volunteers) will be open for refreshments and the churchyard will also be open for their "Love Nature in the Churchyard" event.

Both the Volunteering Fair and the programme of Great Big Green Week events are being coordinated by Totally Leighton Buzzard who run the local monthly popup Repair Cafe LB.

Find out more on linktr.ee/leightonbuzzard or follow Totally Leighton Buzzard on social media.