HC Deb 02 June 1997 vol 295 c10W
Mr. Stephen Twigg

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support his Department will be giving to Volunteers Week. [1908]

Mr. Michael

Volunteers Week, which I was pleased to help launch this morning and which will run until 7 June, is a great opportunity to celebrate the enormous commitment made by volunteers to the life of our communities, and to encourage the involvement of others. The National Centre for Volunteering co-ordinates this annual event and receives financial support from the Home Office to do so.

I am delighted to be able to participate in the week by taking up the challenge issued by the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) to hon. Members to give up an hour of their time to volunteer on a WRVS project. I hope that all hon. Members will join me in participating in Volunteers Week to acknowledge the achievements of volunteers, who give freely of their time and talents throughout the year and whose involvement makes such a difference to so many people.