The Big Help Out returns for 2024!
In 2023, we came together as part of His Majesty the King and Queen’s Coronation for the largest mobilisation of volunteers in UK history. An incredible 7.2 million people and 35,000 voluntary organisations took part in The Big Help Out last May. A staggering 70% of those who took part said they would be more likely to volunteer again.
This year, The Big Help Out returns!
We’ll be joining forces with thousands of other charities from Friday 7 June to Sunday 9 June to encourage even more people to transform the country and unite our communities.
We are thrilled to be one of The Big Help Out’s official partners
Anna Croghan, Matt Allwright and Emily Jack at The Big Help Out launch
To celebrate the launch of the campaign, Emily Jack, Bookmark CEO and Anna Croghan, incoming Head of Volunteering, attended the official event at the Royal Geographic Society on Tuesday 30 January.
His Majesty the King’s personal message was read out at the event, as he recovers in hospital. Notably, he said that volunteering creates “kinder, closer communities” and that volunteering is “all the more important at a time of real hardship for many”.
Emily said;
“This wonderful initiative really is the perfect way to showcase the benefits of volunteering and for charities to come together. Bookmark Reading Charity is thrilled to be taking part. So many powerful stories from last year’s event were shared at the launch and I am looking forward to seeing all that can be done for local communities this time round.”
The event was hosted by Anneka Rice, TV and radio presenter, and Matt Allwright from BBC’s The One Show. There was also a range of fantastic speakers including Astronaut and bestselling author, Tim Peake, influencer and disability activist, Lucy Edwards, television personality, Faye Winter and co-founder of The Big Help Out Catherine Johnstone.
The key thread throughout these talks was that this year, The Big Help Out is focused on:
Scale
Empowering millions of people to volunteer and building a legacy from 2023.
Sustainability
Empowering and enabling organisations to convert one-off volunteering into sustained engagement.
Targeting
Reaching under-represented and diverse communities who need extra help to volunteer.
How can you get involved this year?
Volunteers are our heroes!
We’re inviting you to make a difference to a child’s life story. By becoming a Bookmark reading volunteer you will spend one hour a week reading and playing games with a child aged between 5-10 and helping them discover the joy of reading. At Bookmark we believe that by inspiring the ‘joy of reading’ we can give every child the opportunity to succeed.
Sign The Big Help Out pledge now and be the first to know about volunteering opportunities in June.