Southend Association of Voluntary Services (SAVS) were overjoyed to launch their Southend Volunteer Hub during Volunteers’ Week, a fresh and new service aimed at connecting organisations with helping hands in our community. The launch event which was attended by the Mayor, drew an audience of over 50 people, all excited to raise their cups of tea and plates of cake to celebrate and welcome this invaluable service to Southend.

The Southend Volunteer Hub represents a renewed commitment to nurturing a culture of volunteering. This service serves as a central hub for organisations and individuals alike, connecting passionate individuals with organisations to make meaningful impacts on our neighbourhoods. Through the hub, organisations can easily identify and engage with the stars in their community, while volunteers can discover rewarding opportunities that align with their interests, skills and passions.

“We are delighted to launch the Southend Volunteer Hub, a new service and platform that harnesses the power of community spirit and aims to make a positive impact in Southend-on-Sea,” said Anthony Quinn, CEO of SAVS. “By bringing together organisations and volunteers in one place, we create a vibrant network where skills, time, and enthusiasm come together to strengthen our community.”

The Southend Volunteer Hub is easily accessible through the brand-new website, which provides a streamlined way to add and explore volunteering opportunities in Southend, as well as a wealth of information to support both organisations and individuals.

Organisations can access the service to discover local stars and benefit from regular networking, online resourcing, a dedicated Southend Volunteering Platform and promotion of their opportunities to an audience of over 10,000. Whilst volunteers can find their way to shine and follow their passions, access free training, help local causes, learn new skills and much more, all conveniently packaged into the new Southend Volunteer Hub.

“I am thrilled and looking forward to placing volunteers and helping them on their journeys. Volunteering has always been a key part of our work here at SAVS, for example we are incredibly proud that every one of our volunteer receptionists has always gone on to find paid roles,” said Judy Harp, Volunteer Hub Coordinator at SAVS.

As the community of Southend embraces the Southend Volunteer Hub, SAVS looks forward to further collaboration with local organisations and individuals with the aim to build resilient, connected communities where the spirit of volunteering thrives and brings with it many new opportunities.

For more information about the Southend Volunteer Hub and to explore the current volunteering opportunities, please visit https://bit.ly/3N5Jsp3