When the prime minister announced that May 8 would be a bank holiday to mark King Charles’ coronation, he suggested that the day would allow families and communities to come together and celebrate.
After the pomp and ceremony of the coronation weekend, Monday saw a shift of focus to community volunteers.
In Rye the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) provided “an umbrella” for the “Big Help Out”. This is a campaign to showcase how volunteering benefits both communities and the people who take part. In Rye we like to think that we know something about volunteer activities, as there are some 50 organisations depending regularly on volunteers to provide services and leisure functions across Rye and the surrounding area.
For Rye’s “Big Help Out”, Chris Emson and a team from across the town provided a traditional lunch in the Tilling Green Community Centre. With some 95 participants and 15 volunteer helpers, it was a busy event.
Represented were numerous voluntary groups, headed by mayor of Rye, Andi Rivett and Mayoress Rebekah Gilbert. Looking around the tables, we saw newly elected district councillor Cheryl Creaser, several other Rye councillors and individuals from other organisations: local RVS, Rye Royal British Legion, the museum, heritage centre, sports, health and art clubs, Rye Foodbank, community garden, community transport, REACT and the vaccination centre, St Mary’s Church, friends of St Mary’s, Rye bell ringers, and the Tilling Green Residents’ Association.
In his welcome, the mayor, who was newly returned from the coronation where he attended as one of the Cinque Ports Barons, thanked all those providing the lunch and those in the wider community providing services. He underscored the benefit of volunteering, not only to beneficiaries but to all those who contribute the most valuable gift: personal time and effort.
Image Credits: Anthony Kimber .