Community Impact Bucks calls on Aylesbury Residents to sign up as volunteers to help during the pandemic

The Volunteer Matching Service, which is run by Community Impact Bucks in partnership with Buckinghamshire Council and The Clare Foundation, matches registered volunteers to roles where they are most needed in the county.

The Service is currently planning for an expected increase in need in our communities over the coming weeks and is looking for volunteers to fill key roles – from adhoc, one-off tasks such as PPE delivery to longer term positions such as regular supermarket collections, mentoring for young people and providing ongoing support for vulnerable people.

It takes just 2 minutes to register; once this has been submitted, somebody from the Volunteer Matching Service will be in contact when a potentially suitable role is available. At that time, you can choose if the role is a good fit for you.

To find out more and to register, visit https://communityimpactbucks.org.uk/buckinghamshire-volunteer-matching-service/In Spring 2020, more than 1,800 people from Buckinghamshire signed up to volunteer via the Buckinghamshire Council’s website to support local communities during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the recovery period and any local outbreaks that may arise.

Many of this initial cohort of volunteers have now been matched with charities and voluntary organisations, while others are now no longer available. As a result, we are looking for new volunteers to step forward to support COVID-19 response activities.

“It has been amazing to see so many people offer their time and skills to help others during the pandemic, and it was great to see this incredible voluntary effort recognised in the Queens’s Birthday Honours where nearly three quarters of recipients were awarded for their work in the their community, including several Bucks residents,” commented Katie Higginson, Chief Executive of Community Impact Bucks.

“Building on this, we now need more volunteers to be available to fill key roles – from adhoc, one-off tasks such as PPE delivery to longer term positions like regular supermarket collections, mentoring young people and providing ongoing support for vulnerable people. If you are 18 or over, and have some time or specific skills to offer, we would love to hear from you.”

Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Buckinghamshire Council, said: “We have a strong tradition of volunteering in Buckinghamshire and we know people find it a very rewarding experience.

"People who were able to give their time to support vulnerable residents during the lockdown earlier in the year found new skills and ways to fill their days in very fulfilling ways. We are seeing a steep increase in the rates of coronavirus currently and want to be prepared if we need to again step up to support our most vulnerable residents.

"Please do consider whether you could give any of your time.”