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Byrne announces Volunteer Fund to link the generations

Plans to recruit 20,000 volunteers who will link together the generations across Britain are announced today by Minister for the Cabinet Office Liam Byrne.

The announcement comes as some charities across the UK are reporting record increases in the number of people volunteering this Christmas.

The £3m Government initiative will encourage volunteering programmes that increase interaction between the generations to tackle critical issues in their communities.

It will help spread programmes like the Sixty Plus project in London which helps young people support older people with reading, language and computer projects. Or Mentor UK, which is helping grandparents protect their grandchildren from drug-related harm.

The minister made the announcement while visiting the Birmingham Christmas Shelter to meet the volunteers and guests.

Liam Byrne, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said:

“Christmas Shelters have had a big, new burst of volunteers this year. That's the story in Birmingham and I've heard similar news from around the country. It's at times of challenge that you see someone's true nature. And what we've seen this Christmas is that Britain's society is strong and proud, not weak.

“There's a new appetite in Britain this year to strengthen the bonds that link us together. We've always been at our best when we're under a bit of pressure and this Christmas British society has shown us its true colours. Compassionate, generous and determined to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

“One of the most inspiring things about Christmas is it's a time when generations come together and learn from each other. I haven't visited a single community in this country where people don't want the links between young and old to be stronger still. So this new fund will give us a fresh chance to strengthen some of the most important links in British life.”

Notes to editors

Key facts about volunteering

• Crisis at Christmas has announced a record 8,000 volunteers this year.
• The new Intergenerational Volunteering Fund will be available in 2009/10 and 2010/11 with 1.5m available in each year. Further details of how the fund will be tendered and run will be available in the New Year
• The Fund will be on top of the 117million programme government will invest over the next three years in the charity 'V' to develop the next generation of volunteers and which aims to create a million more volunteering opportunities for young people.
  Overall the proportion of people volunteering remains high, 73 per cent of all adults volunteered (formally or informally) at least once in the last 12 months, with 48 per cent having volunteered at least once a month.
• The Government gives small grants directly to local voluntary organisations through the Grassroots Grants Programme. And the Government has agreed to match fund donations for local good causes made through this programme.
• Through the grassroots grants programme In Birmingham the government is investing 3,011,947 and 13,489,142 in the West Midlands region as a whole.

Birmingham Christmas Shelter

Birmingham Christmas Shelter is open 24 hours a day during Christmas week and has been operating for over 30 years. Each day they welcome between 50 and 150 guests, providing breakfast, lunch and dinner, continuous tea, coffee and sandwiches, haircuts, chiropody, dental treatment, clothing and a safe and warm place to sleep.

They rely on about 200 volunteers each Christmas to peel vegetables, sweep floors, serve food, wash-up, chat and help with specialist skills such as haircutting, nursing and cooking,

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