On Wednesday 16th February, Salisbury City Council is bringing together residents from across Salisbury to celebrate those who give their time to keep the city safe, green, accessible.

The Guildhall will welcome nearly 150 volunteers from all walks of life, who bring their skills, enthusiasm and experience to the work of the City Council.

Some work with the Parks Team to keep our green spaces beautiful, some with the local CCTV network, ensuring that people are kept safe and assist the local police, and others work with our Communities Team to run lunch clubs, youth clubs and sports clubs.

Some of the council’s longest-standing volunteers work in Shopmobility in the Maltings, hiring vehicles and offering aid to those with walking difficulties to make sure they can get around Salisbury.

At the other end of the scale, one of their newest volunteer projects is Youth Salisbury Pantry, a Council run social supermarket, providing access for people who need it to donate and redistribute food in a shop for just £5.

These two areas of volunteering are also a great example of how volunteering is as much about building relationships within the community as it is about delivering tasks.

A spokesperson for the city council said, “Our volunteers really get to know our members and what they need. Time and time again they use their combination of time and passion to make people feel welcome. Each team in the council celebrates their volunteers regularly, but this is the first time we have brought everyone together to say a huge thank you, and show that they are part of a large and growing network.“

The event will include some volunteering and length of service awards for people who have committed their time to the city for many years. The volunteers will be joined by Councillors, Managers and The Mayor, Councillor Caroline Corbin, to show them how valued they are.

Sarah Gregson, who is the Communities Manager for Salisbury City Council, said, “It is so important that we express our gratitude to our volunteers and we hope to give them an opportunity to understand that they are part of a community of volunteers. They all have different skills but are all a huge part of making Salisbury a great place to belong.”

The Mayor of Salisbury, Cllr Caroline Corbin added, “Salisbury City Council is very fortunate to have such a dedicated band of volunteers contributing their time and energy across the city. I am delighted to be part of the Volunteer Celebration Event for them at the Guildhall.”