Celebrating the backbone of our community: Highlights from Volunteers’ Week in Dudley Borough

July 21, 2025
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Published by Grace
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At the start of every June, Volunteers’ Week offers an opportunity for a celebration of volunteers and their impact across the United Kingdom. It is a week of appreciation for those who give their time, skills and support freely to help others, often with no thought of recognition. These individuals, however, have been described to us as  “the backbone of everything” in the voluntary sector. Without them, countless support services, community projects and local initiatives would not be present in our communities. 

“I wanted to help people…the rest is history” – Volunteer, Black Country Foodbank 

This year, we marked the 41st Anniversary of Volunteers’ Week with a range of events to celebrate the volunteers who help make our borough brighter and the community spirit and pride of the volunteers really shone through. So, grab a cuppa and read about the events that took place, it might inspire you for next year! 

Volunteer Fair  

We kicked off Volunteers’ Week by co-hosting a Volunteer Fair with Dudley Kingswinford Rugby and Football Club (DKRFC). DKRFC is primarily run by volunteers itself, so giving back during Volunteers’ Week was a key focus for the club, as well as being seen as an opportunity to bring together the local community to support the voluntary sector. 

Fifteen local not-for-profit and statutory organisations came together to connect with local residents, share their missions, and offer volunteer opportunities. The focus of these opportunities varied widely but included; animals, healthcare, outdoors and gardening, public services, children and families, and whole communities to name a few.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Dudley were also in attendance, showing their appreciation of the services and support each organisation offered. We also noticed that organisations in attendance took the chance to network, deepening the ways they support each other 

It was a wonderful day, filled with care for Dudley Borough, and even included some members of Dudley CVS having a go on the ride along lawn mower course! 

Great Big Outdoor Celebration 

Mid-week, we hosted a Great Outdoors celebration for volunteers who care for our outdoor spaces, including our beautiful green spaces. It was a wonderful turn out, with many Friends of Parks groups stopping by.  

For those who don’t know, Friends of Parks groups work in partnership with Dudley Council to support the long-term development and regeneration of local parks across the borough.  

So, volunteers who help care for our local parks, including Bumble Hole Conservation Group, Friends of Wollescote Park and Friends of Abbey Street, dropped by to enjoy refreshments, share details of their upcoming events, and provide insight into how they’re working with their communities to manage local parks. With goodie bags in hand, and the sun shining, it was a light and lively day, the perfect setting for grassroot groups to feel supported and inspired by each other’s work.   

If you would like more information about becoming part of a Friends of Parks group, have a look here, or you can reach out to us via the details at the bottom of the blog. 

Dudley’s Great Big Volunteer Thank You 

At the end of week, we hosted a thank you event at DY1 Community Centre for volunteers and residents across the borough. Attendees enjoyed cake, coffee and goodie bags, and connected with each other about their volunteering. We were also joined by Talkin’ Tables, Black Country Boating Festival, Read Easy and Jasmine Road Community Gardens, who all have amazing and varied volunteer opportunities, and were there to support and celebrate volunteers.

A highlight of the day was hearing from Claire, a volunteer for the Children, Young People and Families Team at Dudley CVS, who shared a moving poem about her journey forward and how volunteering played a role in their reconnection.  

We were also grateful to have the Mayor and Mayoress of Dudley in attendance, again giving their time to listen to the organisations present, chat with volunteers and hear about the amazing work that is being done by the voluntary sector across Dudley Borough. 

Volunteer Spotlights 

Alongside our in-person events, we also ran volunteer spotlights across our social media. These posts shone a light on the personal stories, passion and quiet dedication of individuals who give their time freely to others. The spotlights allowed us to showcase the real faces of volunteering, hopefully inspiring others to consider how they too might make a difference.

Thank you!

We are grateful to all who were involved in the events and spotlights, from supporting and attending the events, to sharing their individual stories or nominating others for their dedication and time. We were also grateful to be supported by Asda in Brierley Hill, Morrisons in Kingswinford and The Blakemore Foundation (Spar), who donated items for the volunteer goodie bags.

Lastly, I just wanted to say a massive thank you to Dudley CVS colleagues who got stuck in filling goodie bags, organising and managing the events, and making a huge difference to Volunteers’ Week in Dudley Borough. 

To me, Volunteers’ Week is much more than a moment of gratitude, it’s about building a community of recognition, support and shared purpose through volunteering. By celebrating volunteers and everything that they do, we share the power of community action and highlight that the time, energy and care volunteers give has real value.  

Why not celebrate volunteers by nominating them for a Community Action Award!

Dudley CVS is hosting its annual community action awards, celebrating the amazing contributions that volunteers and community organisations make to our communities across Dudley Borough.

You might know a volunteer passionate about keep their park clean and tidy, supporting disadvantaged communities, protecting our heritage and culture, caring for others, or even just bringing vibrancy and hope to our communities. We’d really like to hear about them and what makes them so special.

If you would like to nominate a volunteer or a community organisation for an award, please complete the following nominations form. Please note, the closing date for nominations if Monday 1st September 2025 at 5pm.

Looking to Volunteer? 

The groups and organisations who attended these events are still looking for volunteer help! So, if you were unable to make these events, or you are looking for more information on volunteering, please click on the links below or contact grace@dudleycvs.org.uk to explore volunteering further! 

 

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