CABINET OFFICE News
Release (CAB/121/08) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 27
December 2008
Plans to recruit
20,000 volunteers who will link together the generations across
Britain are announced today by Minister for the Cabinet Office
Liam Byrne.
The announcement comes as some charities across the UK are
reporting record increases in the number of people volunteering
this Christmas.
The £3m Government initiative will encourage volunteering
programmes that increase interaction between the generations to
tackle critical issues in their communities.
It will help spread programmes like the Sixty Plus project in
London which helps young people support older people with reading,
language and computer projects. Or Mentor UK, which is helping
grandparents protect their grandchildren from drug-related harm.
The minister made the announcement while visiting the Birmingham
Christmas Shelter to meet the volunteers and guests.
Liam Byrne, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said:
"Christmas Shelters have had a big, new burst of volunteers
this year. That's the story in Birmingham and I've heard
similar news from around the country. It's at times of
challenge that you see someone's true nature. And what
we've seen this Christmas is that Britain's society is
strong and proud, not weak.
"There's a new appetite in Britain this year to
strengthen the bonds that link us together. We've always been
at our best when we're under a bit of pressure and this
Christmas British society has shown us its true colours.
Compassionate, generous and determined to help those less
fortunate than ourselves.
"One of the most inspiring things about Christmas is
it's a time when generations come together and learn from
each other. I haven't visited a single community in this
country where people don't want the links between young and
old to be stronger still. So this new fund will give us a fresh
chance to strengthen some of the most important links in British life."
Notes to editors
For operational use:
Liam Byrne is visiting the Birmingham Christmas Shelter on
Saturday 27 December from 9.30am to 10.30am.
The media are invited to send a reporter, photographer or crew.
There will be a photocall and an opportunity to interview Liam
Byrne, the volunteers and guests. Media contact on the day is
Annie Harris from CoI West Midlands on 07966 284502.
Birmingham Christmas Shelter,
St Georges Post 16
Centre,
Great Hampton Row,
Newtown,
Birmingham
B19 3JG
Key facts about volunteering
* Crisis at Christmas has announced a record 8,000 volunteers
this year.
* The new Intergenerational Volunteering Fund will be available
in 2009/10 and 2010/11 with 1.5m available in each year. Further
details of how the fund will be tendered and run will be available
in the New Year
* The Fund will be on top of the 117million programme government
will invest over the next three years in the charity 'V'
to develop the next generation of volunteers and which aims to
create a million more volunteering opportunities for young people.
Overall the proportion of people volunteering remains high, 73 per
cent of all adults volunteered (formally or informally) at least
once in the last 12 months, with 48 per cent having volunteered at
least once a month.
* The Government gives small grants directly to local voluntary
organisations through the Grassroots Grants Programme. And the
Government has agreed to match fund donations for local good
causes made through this programme.
* Through the grassroots grants programme In Birmingham the
government is investing 3,011,947 and 13,489,142 in the West
Midlands region as a whole.
Birmingham Christmas Shelter
Birmingham Christmas Shelter is open 24 hours a day during
Christmas week and has been operating for over 30 years. Each day
they welcome between 50 and 150 guests, providing breakfast, lunch
and dinner, continuous tea, coffee and sandwiches, haircuts,
chiropody, dental treatment, clothing and a safe and warm place to sleep.
They rely on about 200 volunteers each Christmas to peel
vegetables, sweep floors, serve food, wash-up, chat and help with
specialist skills such as haircutting, nursing and cooking,
Issued by Cabinet Office Press Office, 22 Whitehall LONDON SW1A
2WH Tel: 020 7276 0393 http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk