Keep Britain Tidy thanks its army of volunteers as Volunteers' Week begins

Keep Britain Tidy today joined thousands of charities and voluntary organisations across the country in thanking our army of volunteers and recognising their contribution in protecting the environment.

Volunteers' Week takes place from 1 to 7 June every year, and is a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our communities and thank them.

2023 marks the 39th year of Volunteers’ Week and with this year’s theme of ‘Celebrate and Inspire’ we hope to inspire people to get involved in volunteering in whatever way works for them.

This could be through our #LitterHeroes volunteer or Ambassador programme, general litter-picking or by becoming a judge for one of our accreditation programmes.

The contribution of volunteers is often unseen and unrecognised by many, visible only through the incredible impact of their volunteering, so taking the time during Volunteers’ Week to celebrate their efforts and all they give to our local communities and society as a whole has never been more important.

This year we are celebrating people like:

• Paul Mason, 59, from Dudley, who helps people with additional needs to do litter picks in their local small park, Swannies Field.
• Linda Hines MBE, 72, from Perry Common in Birmingham who has volunteered in her community for 32 years,  including leading litter-picks at a local beauty spot, Witton Lakes, and launching a Duckling Watch to protect the wildlife.
• Tom Gosling, 36, from Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, who set up several litter picking groups throughout Cambridgeshire since he started volunteering in September 2020.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive Allison-Ogden-Newton, said: “We want to recognise the dedicated work of all of our #LitterHeroes volunteers and volunteer judges who are relentless in their commitment to protect our environment and wildlife, help our green and blue spaces to thrive and who make our charity the vibrant and dedicated organisation it is today.”

Volunteers’ Week is supported and celebrated by small grassroots organisations as well as larger, household-name charities, who together run hundreds of activities across the UK. These activities showcase and celebrate volunteers and the contribution volunteering makes in our communities.