Mayor praises Volunteers Supporting Families in Croydon

Volunteers from Croydon were celebrated by the Mayor last night for their work supporting families across the borough. At an event held at Bernard Weatherill House, the Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Patricia Hay-Justice, met some of the 80-plus volunteers and the 140 families they support. The Volunteers Supporting Families programme is run by national charity, Volunteering Matters.

The programme recruits, trains and supports volunteers to mentor and support families with complex needs. Volunteers make weekly visits to the families, building up strong relationships with parents, listening to problems, and offering practical advice. Run in partnership with the council’s social care team, the volunteers help keep families together and reduce the number of children on child protection plans and child in need plans.

The programme has been running in Croydon for the last 18 months and, in the last year alone, has supported 140 families and over 180 children. Volunteering Matters trained over 80 volunteers who provided nearly 1,500 hours of support to families in Croydon during that year.

To acknowledge the hard work of the volunteers at the celebration event, volunteers past and present were awarded certificates of achievement by the Mayor.

Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Patricia Hay-Justice said:

“Croydon is already a place where more people than anywhere else in London regularly volunteer. In fact, thousands of people volunteer in Croydon every year, and they enhance the community in which we live, work and visit. Without their tireless and dedicated support the borough would lose something vital. Volunteers come from all walks of life and from the culturally diverse communities in the borough”

 The Croydon Community Civic Awards every year celebrate the hard work dedication and achievements of outstanding local people and organisations, showcasing some of the outstanding contributions made to the life of Croydon as a borough by individuals and organisations through volunteering”

Jill Williams, Business Development Manager for Volunteers Supporting Families programme, said:

“We are delighted that our volunteers have been acknowledged by the Mayor for their efforts with families in Croydon. Our volunteers are carefully recruited, trained and matched with families in the area, to provide support and practical parenting advice to meet their needs. Through the work of our fantastic volunteers, we look forward to continuing to improve the quality of life for families in Croydon.”

-ENDS-

For press enquiries please contact Amanda Francis at Volunteering Matters, amanda.francis@volunteeringmatters.org.uk / 020 3780 5880 / 07754698854

Notes to Editors

• Volunteering Matters is the UK’s leading volunteering charity delivering targeted, innovative and professional volunteering programmes nationwide, inspiring volunteers to power change in their communities: www.volunteeringmatters.org.uk