Hitchin Member of Parliament Bim Afolami MP dropped by the Hertfordshire Volunteering Fair that took place at Hitchin Market Place on Friday (12th May). The fair was hosted by GoVolHerts which is a project that champions volunteering delivered by North Herts and Stevenage CVS and funded by Hertfordshire County Council.
This event was a continuation of The Big Help Out as part of the King’s Coronation and saw 30 different local charities attend to raise awareness of the fantastic work they do across our community. Mr Afolami spoke with several organisations to find out more about how they have been helping local people and to thank them for everything that their staff and volunteers do.
Bim Afolami MP said,
“We live in an absolutely brilliant community with great local organisations – backed by dedicated volunteers – who make a real positive impact on lives across Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of those volunteers and organisations at the Hertfordshire Volunteering Fair in Hitchin and seeing local people engage with them to find out more about how they can get involved.”
Volunteering can be a really great way to give back to our community and there are lots of different opportunities to explore. I would encourage anyone who has a bit of time to give to consider doing so – it is a really worthwhile way to help your community.”
Katie Staddon, Project Manager of GoVolHerts said,
“Our Volunteering Fair shone a light on how incredibly lucky we are to have such a diverse and rich tapestry of charities that support our residents in times of need. Without volunteers, who are often the lifeblood of these organisations many would not survive. Volunteering can have substantial benefits on those who take part including improved wellbeing, increased connectedness and enhanced employability.
“Despite challenging weather on the day, the event was a huge success! Over 155 new volunteers expressed an interest in helping these local causes, heart-warming stories were shared, and many meaningful connections were made.
“We were really grateful that our MP, Bim Afolami was able to join us at such an inspirational event.”
Local residents can browse the wide range of volunteering opportunities available in Hertfordshire at www.govolherts.org.uk.
Photo credit: Emily Hardy at North Herts and Stevenage CVS.
