A trip to the movies is great and every week shropshirelive.com and Cineworld Shrewsbury give you and a friend the chance to go along free and see the film of your choice.

So what movie will you go and see at Cineworld Shrewsbury? Maybe Epic is the film for you.

EPIC is a 3D CG action-adventure comedy that reveals a hidden world unlike any other. From the creators of ICE AGE and RIO, EPIC tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good who keep the natural world alive and the forces of evil who wish to destroy it.

When a teen age girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters in order to save their world…and ours.

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell, Christoph Waltz and Jason Sudeikis.

Enter Free Film Friday
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PRIZE DETAILS & TERMS
From all the correct answers received by 3pm on Friday 24 May 2013, one lucky entrant will gain free entry for themselves plus a guest to see any film of their choice at Cineworld Shrewsbury – subject to availability – your details will be kept on the Cineworld Shrewsbury guest list for one month only. Only one entry per email address – duplicate entries will be void. For 3D films competition winners receive complimentary glasses.

The article Free Film Friday – Epic (U) appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

Stewart Clarke and Rebecca Trehearn in Ghost The Musical – Photo: Sean Ebsworth Barnes.

Since first opening at Manchester Opera House back in March 2011, GHOST: the Musical has been seen by over 500,000 people and has been nominated for five Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards.

Based on the phenomenal Oscar® winning movie that captured the hearts and imaginations of a generation back in the 90s, GHOST: the Musical is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next trying to communicate with girlfriend Molly through a phoney psychic in the hope of saving her from his murderer. GHOST the Musical is a rollercoaster ride of romance and comedy with dazzling state-of-the-art staging.

Grand Theatre Chief Executive Peter Cutchie said: “I am thrilled to be able to bring this multi award-winning musical to the the Midlands. As one of the largest and most technically complex productions ever to tour the UK, GHOST: the Musical combines the very latest in cutting-edge stage technology with a stunning musical score and a powerful storyline that will appeal to both lovers of the Oscar-winning movie and musical fans alike.”

GHOST the Musical features direction by the Tony award winning Matthew Warchus (Matilda, Art) and has music and lyrics by Grammy® award winning Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard and features the iconic song Unchained Melody. Set and costume designs are by Rob Howell, musical supervision and arrangements by Christopher Nightingale, illusions are by Paul Kieve, choreography is by Ashley Wallen, video and projection designs by Jon Driscoll, lighting by Hugh Vanstone and sound by Bobby Aitken.

The UK tour is being produced by David Ian Productions and the Ambassador Theatre Group and is under license from Colin Ingram and Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle in association with Paramount Pictures.

Oscar® winning Bruce Joel Rubin adapted his original screenplay for the stage production. Rubin won an Oscar® for Best Original Screenplay for the movie GHOST, which starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg.

Dave Stewart is recognized as one of the most respected and accomplished talents in the music industry today. Stewart’s career spans more than 25 years and more than 100 million album sales. With Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox, Stewart delivered pop/rock hits such as Here Comes the Rain Again, Who’s That Girl, Would I Lie to You?, Missionary Man and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This). In 1999, the duo was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Brits. Together with Mick Jagger, he wrote and produced the score for Alfie, starring Jude Law, which won the pair a Golden Globe ® for Best Original Song. Stewart has won Best British Producer four times and Best British Songwriter five times as well as numerous Grammy®, MTV and European awards. This year he released his new album The Ringmaster General.

Six-time Grammy® award winner Glen Ballard is one of popular music’s most accomplished producers/songwriters and arrangers. He has sold more than 150 million records worldwide and has worked with a diverse array of the finest singers and artists in the business, from Aretha Franklin to Van Halen and Aerosmith to Michael Jackson. One of Ballard’s biggest successes involved chart-topping, multi-platinum album Jagged Little Pill (33 million worldwide, four Grammys including Album of the Year) which Ballard co-wrote and produced for Alanis Morissette and was named Best Album of the Decade (1990s) by Billboard magazine.

Heading the UK touring cast in the roles of Sam Wheat and Molly Jensen are Stewart Clarke – an actor whose previous theatre roles include Eddie Arch in Loserville (Garrick Theatre) and Pirelli in Sweeney Todd (Rose Theatre, Kingston) and Rebecca Trehearn, (We Will Rock You, Dirty Dancing and Aspects of Love). Molly also understudied for the role of Molly Jensen in Ghost the Musical on the West End in 2011.

Stepping into the shows of Whoopi Goldberg as loveable psychic Oda Mae Brown is West End and television star Wendy Mae Brown. Throughout her varied stage career, Wendy has enjoyed roles as diverse as Hattie in Kiss Me, Kate (Old Vic and Chichester Festival Theatre); Mert in Carmen Jones (Old Vic, Japanese and UK tour); Joanne in Rent (Prince of Wales Theatre, Prince Edward Theatre and UK tour); and Calpurnia in the 2011 Touring Consortium theatre production of To Kill a Mockingbird (Theatre Clwyd and UK tour) which toured to the Grand in May 2011. Wendy also featured in the original cast recordings for Mamma Mia!, Carmen Jones and Show Boat.

The article Ghost: The Musical at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

Councillor Jon Tandy, Mayor of Shrewsbury presenting an award to the winning team ‘Filtro’.

It was the first evening engagement for the newly elected Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Jon Tandy.

Several of the young people said that the highlight of their Young Enterprise experience was meeting the local mayor and having their photograph taken with him. Councillor Jon Tandy said: I am going to make sure during my term of office that I meet as many young people as I can. It’s really important to me that young people are involved as much as possible and Young Enterprise provides a great opportunity to do this.”

Businesses attending included regular sponsors such at Caterpillar, The Alamo Group, TTC Group, Marches Care, Denso and the Shropshire Star and new sponsors presenting some of the awards included Chris Pallett from Bespoke Computing, Eli Wilkinson, the Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant, Laura Butler from Serenity and Tom Sykes from Rockford IT. Other sponsors included Belton Cheese and Midcounties Co-operative. The event is supported every year by both councils and the shopping centres in Shrewsbury and Telford.

Filtro was the overall winning team with their innovative filter water bottle – they imported bottles with filter tops that can be refilled with tap water which is filtered through the top when you drink. Filtro also won Mark Gibson’s vote for the most socially responsible product.

The best presentation on the night was won by Bobby Bird, the best business adviser was Heather Noble of Salt Solutions.

Ann Johnson, Chairman of the Volunteer board gave the opening speech and Ryan Jervis was an excellent compere inviting award sponsors to present the awards to the winning teams.

The evening included photographs of the teams and their products at trade stands in Shrewsbury and Telford and the presentations at Priorslee Campus. There was also a video clip with a précis of all the action filmed by Rainford Studios, with a soundtrack created by 1UP-DNB – two local young entrepreneurs.

The atmosphere was electric, several teams received standing ovations, new sponsors as well as young enterprise business teams – and even the Mayor of Shrewsbury – were quite overwhelmed with the enthusiasm, and excitement generated in the room.

Two speakers gave inspirational talks about their experience in business – Katie Smith who started her online business when she was 19, and James Wood of Saxonby Homes who was also a young entrepreneur. Both said that they did not regret missing university, talked about the ups and downs of running their own businesses, the high highs and low lows; how important it was to take it all in your stride, how much they enjoyed being their own boss, and the messages that they left us with were- ever take things personally – and never ever give up!

Many people said this was the best Young Enterprise Awards evening yet and the new sponsors all said what a wonderful evening it had been and how much they had enjoyed presenting the awards; everyone – old and young alike – felt special. The judges, young enterprise volunteers and staff, business advisors, link teachers, parents and dignitaries one and all left feeling exceedingly proud of our young people – they are the ones that will lead our future, it is up to us to make sure they have the best chance possible.

The article Young Enterprise celebrated at awards evening appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

The Shropshire Volunteer Celebration Event was held at the Boathouse in Ellesmere.

Everyone was busy talking but new arrivals were welcomed and offered coffee and biscuits – volunteers always seem happy to make room for someone else and include them in conversations but, after all, everyone is there for the same reason – to make Shropshire a better place to live, work, walk, ride – and dream.

Volunteers do many different things – maintaining footpaths and bridleways, clearing brambles, leading walks, guiding tours, chairing groups like Oswestry Ramblers , organising Whitchurch Walking Festival, butterfly surveys, water vole habitat surveys – and you don’t have to know how to do these things – you just join in and help with what you enjoy doing – and learn on the job.

Likewise Shropshire Council’s Outdoor Recreation Team does many different things, not least communicating and working together with all the other countryside organisations, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Butterfly Conservation Trust, Waterways Trust, working with parish councils, community groups, providing practical advice to farmers and landowners, linking reserves that are becoming isolated.

It also includes encouraging the public to enjoy our countryside – cycling, canoeing, sailing and fishing as well as bird-watching, walking and riding. Luke Neal, Community Officer with the Meres and Mosses Landscape Partnership Scheme describes it as: “Explaining, exploring, accessing and preserving the countryside.”

Whixall, Fenns and Bettisfield Mosses form the largest peat body in the UK. Peat is 30 times better at storing carbon than trees and acts like a sponge, swelling up and soaking up water and storing it. Our meres and mosses landscape dates back to the Pleistocene – the last ice age when glaciers melted and left an undulating landscape with many hollows that filled with water creating the meres. Over time some of these lakes started to fill in with vegetation which decomposed to create peat. It takes about 100 years to make a peat moss 5 cm deep.

After coffee David Hardwick led a guided walk from the Boathouse along the Mere past marshland that had been cleared to provide better habitat – trees pollarded to let in more light which was enjoyed by the marsh marigolds flourishing there. After a brief visit to Blake Mere the walk followed the Shropshire Union Canal, through the only canal tunnel in Shropshire.

Leaving the canal the walk followed a footpath through a wood dotted with bluebells and arum lillies to the top of the hill where there was a panoramic view of the Mere and the path back down to the Boathouse – and lunch.

Some of the volunteers received long service awards at a special presentation in the afternoon. Many volunteers became involved by accident – as Roy Arnold, founder member of Shifnal Pathfinders said: “I was asked to help clear a bridle path.” That was many years ago and Roy was presented with a well-earned long service award for all the volunteer hours spent clearing rights of way and all the other activities that became part of his life simply because they needed doing.

Don Bannister earned his long service award for repairing and monitoring over 200 nest boxes in Severn Valley Country Park.

David Farncombe is a leader of ‘Mere Ambles’, part of the Walking for Health scheme and Chairman of the Ellesmere branch of the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. He also belongs to the ‘Friends of the Mere’; he lives in Ellesmere and helps with conservation work around the Mere. He said: “Birds are my particular interest. I did a dawn chorus walk for Luke at Colemere starting at five o’clock in the morning. It’s magical, sitting in the dark, then dawn begins to creep up and you hear a pheasant cry, then a blackbird starts singing – magical liquid notes, then all the other birds gradually join in. I’ve been here for 20 years and grown to love the area, I want to make sure it stays like it.”

Dick Davis is a ‘Walking for Health’ leader in Oswestry. “I’m enjoying the walking, along the canals, I’ll soon be living on a narrow boat at Whixall so I’m looking forward to walking my dog around Whixall Moss.”

Martin Spenser belongs to the Friends of the Mere at Ellesmere. “I’m a retired volunteer sucker!” he said, “I got roped in – but I’m getting more and more interested in the wildlife and I enjoy the exercise. I was really surprised at the number of people here – let’s hope we can all spread the voluntary message and encourage more people to get involved.”

Trevor Johnson is a volunteer site ranger at Rectory Wood & Field in Church Stretton. He said: I came along as I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet people – talk to other volunteers about what they do. It’s also encouraging to see that it is appreciated and the Council and Shropshire Wildlife Trust do recognise the amount of work we do.”

If you would like to find out more – get involved – learn about your local countryside – make friends – join Walking for Health – carry out some habitat surveys (training provided), learn some new skills – try your hand at sailing, canoeing or fishing – you can contact:

David Hardwick, Countryside Recreation Officer, Outdoor Recreation Team, Shropshire Council
Tel 01743 791984 David.Hardwick@shropshire.gov.uk

Luke Neal, Community Officer, Meres and Mosses Landscape Partnership Scheme
Tel 01743 284275 luken@ShropshireWildlifeTrust.org.uk

Or visit: www.themeresandmosses.co.uk

- Words and pictures by Barbara Rainford, Strawberry Fields

The article Shropshire Volunteers hold celebration event appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

Chris Pallett with new apprentice Andy Rogers.

Andy Rogers, 20, of Stirchley, Telford, has joined Bespoke Computing Ltd on Stafford Park, Telford, as an office administrator apprentice after nearly four years working in the hospitality industry.

He was duty manager at the Park Inn, Telford, but wanted to expand his knowledge of customer service.

Chris Pallett, owner of Bespoke Computing Ltd and county chairman of the Chartered Institute of IT, said he was pleased to welcome Mr Rogers to the team and to give him an opportunity to learn on the job through the work apprenticeship scheme.
He said: “The apprenticeship scheme has brought real benefits to our workplace. As a business we are pleased to support the next generation and give them a chance to get into employment.

“As a trainee office administrator, Andy helps out in all areas of the company. We work in a wide range of areas and he is getting vital experience for his career.”

Mr Rogers said he felt like moving to Bespoke Computing Ltd was a step forward for him.

“I wanted to expand my knowledge and ability to help customers. I wanted a career change and customer service is something I tend to be good at and I thought I could develop that.

“I’m definitely making the most of a new opportunity. In the hospitality industry, the pay is never very good so a new career path was the best way for me to achieve my ambitions.”

Mr Rogers said he would recommend the apprenticeship scheme to other young people.

“I found out about the scheme online. It’s on the job learning so you are getting paid to go into work and it’s something I have not done before so I’m always learning.”

He is the second apprentice to join Bespoke Computing.

“Apprentices are very eager and motivated. They require a large investment of time but they give a tremendous and worthwhile amount back to the company,” added Mr Pallett.

The article New apprentice joins Shropshire IT firm appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

Mantis with Certificate Steve Granda and Ian Galliers.

Mantvydas “Mantis” Tobulcvicius has been an apprentice joiner with Morris Joinery since 12th December 2011 and he entered the competition as an opportunity to help build his knowledge and skills. He is hoping to gain enough points to enter the National Finals at the NEC SkillShow 14-16th November 2013 and then on to the Finals in Rio de Janeiro in 2015.

Over 400 apprentices and students, specialising in carpentry and joinery alone, from across the UK competed in regional heats. The apprentices had to make a casement window with a 10 degree angle. They had to set it out, mark it out, rebate and mould it, put it together and finally glue and wedge it. All in a limited time period.

Mantis’ tutor at Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology, Stuart Raine said: “I wanted to enter Mantis into the senior section but both places that were available had already been filled so I entered him as a new entrant. I have been to two regional heats, the Welsh heat and the South Birmingham heat. Mantis was the only one out of all that competed in the two heats to complete the job so I believe he has a good chance to get the points for the National Finals.

“Mantis is a talented young man and is already well into his Level 3 advanced apprenticeship even though he only started in January.”

The Skill Build competition is the largest multi trade competition in the country for construction trainees and apprentices. It covers ten craft operations which include bricklaying, cabinet making, carpentry, dry walling systems, joinery, painting and decorating, plastering, roofing, stonemasonry and wall and floor tiling.

Steve Granda, Morris Joinery Manager was delighted with the news: “Mantis is a valued member of the Morris Joinery team and is continuing to show great skill and potential as his apprenticeship moves forward.

“We are delighted that he has won the regional heat and we are doing all we can to help build his skills up for the final and get him to Rio”.

The article Apprentice joiner’s shining success in skill build competition appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

Gemma Picken with Tim Willocks, both from Alan Ward.

For one employee at Alan Ward in Shrewsbury will be making a trip of a lifetime to care for animals at a sanctuary in Africa while another has been helping to ensure poor communities have access to vital medical supplies.

Gemma Picken, of Telford, has also headed off to South Africa after deciding to volunteer at the African Dawn Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary.

The 23-year-old, of The Rock, who travelled thousands of miles to Africa, will be spending six weeks working at the centre on the Eastern Cape.

She said: “I will be doing everything from cleaning out cages to feeding the animals and caring for them if they are sick. There are also opportunities to become a surrogate mum.”

Miss Picken said she had decided the time was right for her to do some volunteering work.

She said: “I carried out some research on the internet about volunteering and came across this sanctuary.

“I like animals and in the future I would love to do something with wildlife. I thought this was something really worthwhile and I am really proud that I am able to help in this way.”

The former Orleton Park School student, who works in the company’s distribution centre office at Battlefield Enterprise Park, Shrewsbury, said: “I am also really grateful to Alan Ward for giving me a two-month sabbatical.

“I am fulfilling a dream and I am hoping it will give me some good experience for what I want to do later in life. I can’t wait to get out there and get started.”

And Tim Willocks has been helping to ensure out-of-date medical supplies are put to good use to help people in Third World countries.

He decided to collect the donations on behalf of the group which also has branches in Chester, Winsford and Newcastle-under-Lyme after an appeal was spotted in a bulletin from Jackie Horsewood, managing director of Wenlock Health and Safety Ltd.

Last year supplies collected by Alan Ward were taken to Ethiopia by Jackie and her husband, Graham, to help to stock a new clinic.
This year she has just returned from Haiti, which is situated in the Caribbean, after taking supplies, including hundreds given by Alan Ward.

Mr Willocks, delivery team leader at Alan Ward’s distribution centre said: “We live in such a throwaway society nowadays. Lots of medical supplies are thrown away in the UK each year because they are out-of-date.

“However, in places such as Ethiopia and Haiti they are still able to be used in areas that are forgotten or in remote poor areas.

“At Alan Ward I am in charge of the first aid boxes and decided to see what we could do to help.

“I am delighted that through our efforts people in poorer communities across the world have been able to have access to medical supplies they so desperately need.”

Jackie Horsewood said they had a “huge response” and took out two large suitcases full of donated medical supplies to a small hospital in Cap Haitian in the North of Haiti.

The article Overseas charity work for Shrewsbury furniture store staff appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

As well as the delivery of packs to residents in the World Heritage Site the council, and relevant partners involved in any response to a major instability incident, will also be holding a series of public information sessions in the Gorge on:

- Wednesday 29th May 2pm – 8pm – Glass Classroom, Enginuity
- Tuesday 4th June 9am – 3pm – Volunteer Centre, Blists Hill
- Tuesday 11th June 2pm – 8pm – Glass Classroom, Enginuity

The pack provides advice about what to look out for, the warning signs and triggers of ground movement and what to do in the event of an incident.

In the unlikely event of major landslides with flooding in the Gorge the pack explains how Telford & Wrekin Council is working with other local authorities, the emergency services and the Environment Agency and has a multi agency plan in place.

A great deal of engineering work has already taken place in the Gorge over the last few years to manage the issue of ground movement and the council will next year begin a new multi million pound scheme in Jackfield, which is one of the worst affected areas.

On completion of the work in Jackfield, Telford & Wrekin Council will have spent more than £33 million on tackling land instability in the Gorge since 2001.

Cllr Richard Overton, cabinet member with responsibility for the Ironbridge Gorge, said: “The nature of the Gorge means ground movement was inevitable, however the council has done a huge amount of engineering work in the last decade to lessen the impact of land instability.

“The council, along with our partners, has a duty to keep residents up to date on matters concerning land instability and remind them of possible dangers and what to do in the event of an incident.”

“While we will continue to lobby for further funding to tackle instability, everyone has a need to be aware of and be prepared for land instability.”

The information contained in the pack is also available by visiting www.telford.gov.uk/gorge

The article Ironbridge Gorge residents receive land instability packs appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Bill Longmore.

During this time, the Commissioner has successfully launched his Police and Crime Plan which outlines his priorities for local policing and community safety over the next four years, as well as setting a budget for the force and freezing the policing element of the Council Tax.

Just a week after taking up office, Mr Longmore gave his full support to the alliance between West Mercia and Warwickshire police forces.

At the time he said: “The plans in place to deliver high quality, value for money policing services to communities in Warwickshire and West Mercia are extremely well considered. Having met with both Chief Constables and reviewed the alliance blueprint I have every confidence that both forces will achieve the cost reductions required and the alliance will increase resilience in critical areas of service delivery. This will result in the more efficient delivery of policing to communities.”

Since his election in November 2012 Mr Longmore and his Deputy Barrie Sheldon have visited over 300 individuals and community groups to learn about their local policing needs and explore opportunities for closer working in the future.

Keen to continue this work he is currently looking to establish a scheme of Community Ambassadors to improve engagement across the area.

He said: “Right from the very start I vowed that I would not be a faceless man sitting in an office, but out listening to the community.”

“West Mercia covers an extensive geographic area of 2,868 square miles and has a population of over 1.2 million people. Since November we have travelled widely and while this has enabled us to make contact with a variety of communities and organisations, we recognise that, to sustain and develop links and continue talking to local people, help is needed.

“A real highlight of my first six months in office has been meeting people and organisations, as well as seeing the fascinating work done by officers and staff in West Mercia Police. I have been immensely impressed by their dedication and commitment to the task of helping to build a safer West Mercia. Also I am pleased to see that this is complemented by a real appetite from the voluntary sector to support community safety and work in new and innovative ways with criminal justice colleagues.

“It has been a whirlwind of activity and so much has been achieved. I look forward to continuing to listen and work with people and organisations to build a safer society for the people of West Mercia.”

In March 2013 Mr Longmore launched his private fund where charities and other groups are encouraged to bid for a share of £20,000 of his own money.

His private fund is open to those organisations in the West Mercia area that help fight crime and support victims of crime. It can be used for anything from setting up diversionary schemes for young people to helping established organisations to expand their activities to improve community life.

To date around £4,000 has been awarded to 14 worthwhile community groups and organisations.

The money is on top of the £2 million a year set aside as part of the West Mercia Commissioner’s Grant Scheme to contribute to crime and disorder reduction or deliver the police and crime plan, which will be sustained throughout Mr Longmore’s time in office.

The article Commissioner Bill Longmore celebrates six months in office appeared first on shropshirelive.com.

As part of Volunteers’ Week, which runs from June 1 to 7, Telford and Wrekin CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) carried out a volunteer activity survey to highlight the contribution volunteers make within the local area.

Beverly Harris, Telford and Wrekin CVS volunteer centre manager, said the contribution equated to a possible £2,000,000 contribution to the local economy every year.

The annual campaign celebrates volunteers across the UK and this year’s focus is on saying “thank you” and recognising the way organisations celebrate the work of volunteers.

The survey found that 28 voluntary sector organisations within Telford and Wrekin together benefitted from the skills of more than 1,000 volunteers who gave up, on average, four hours per week.

Throughout the week, Telford and Wrekin CVS, based at the Glebe Centre in Wellington, will be sending out tweets through @TelfordVolServe as well as messages on their Facebook page

The organisation will also publish a blog on its website at www.telfordandwrekincvs.org.uk, which will celebrate saying thank you to volunteers.

Mrs Harris said the aim of the social media campaign was to show the vital role volunteers played in giving up their time, energy and skills to provide a range of services.

She said: “We want to highlight volunteering in Telford and Wrekin and not only thank all the current volunteers but encourage more people to give up a little bit of their free time to help others.

“As part of that, we carried out a survey through Survey Monkey, which shows an army of volunteers are contributing within our local community in so many ways; from providing extra facilities and activities for young children to supporting an active lifestyle for older people.

“Putting it simply, services and initiatives that are vital to the community simply wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for volunteers.”

She added: “From these figures alone it is not unrealistic to conclude that the economic value of this contribution to Telford & Wrekin is more than £2,000,000 a year.

“This really is the tip of the iceberg as volunteers are very prevalent within many statutory services and with the community and voluntary sector.

“And although it is a good indicator of how much volunteers contribute to the local economy, simply counting hours doesn’t show the true impact.”

Mrs Harris said volunteers bring multiple benefits to organisations, communities and people.
She said: “Organisations receive enormous contributions of time, talents and skills.

“Communities are healthier and more cohesive through active citizen engagement.

“People receive important services from volunteers and, through volunteering, people gain experience, improve their employment and educational options and have a greater sense of belonging and well-being.”

The survey also found that organisations greatly valued the contribution of their volunteers.

“We received many comments of support through our survey,” said Mrs Harris.

“Some organisations said they would not be able to run their services without volunteer support.

“Others said volunteers spread the word about their organisation far more effectively than papers or adverts while others praised the passion with which volunteers go about their work.”

To find out how Telford and Wrekin CVS can help you or your charity, call (01952) 567800, see the Facebook page, follow on Twitter or email ellasips@tandwcvs.org.uk

The article Time to say thank you to hundreds of Telford volunteers appeared first on shropshirelive.com.