People in Bury are being encouraged to get involved in a volunteering day at the end of the King's coronation weekend.

Residents are invited to join the nationwide The Big Help Out, which takes place on bank holiday Monday, May 8 as part of the coronation weekend, and discover the wealth of volunteering opportunities in the borough.

There are already an estimated 26,000 volunteers in Bury, who provide 130,000 hours of help a week- worth £65m a year.

The pandemic highlighted the extraordinary impact volunteers can have.

Volunteering covers a wide spectrum and no contribution is too small, whether that is providing informal care to a neighbour, supporting a grassroots sports club, helping a cadets group or running community advice sessions - there will be something everyone can do.

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The council is working with the Bury Voluntary and Community Faith Alliance (Bury VCFA) to use the Big Help Out to showcasing volunteering.

If you want to try something new, and share your knowledge, skills and experience with local groups to support our communities, Bury VCFA can match you to the right place, visit www.buryvcfa.org.uk or call 0161 518 550.

To discover the range of volunteering opportunities in the borough, visit the Bury Directory at www.theburydirectory.co.uk.

And if you’re in a community group with activities taking place over the coronation weekend, or schemes which have opportunities for people to get involved on an ongoing basis, email volunteering@buryvcfa.org.uk or call 0161 518 5550.

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The VCFA can offer training and help with the necessary paperwork.

For details of coronation events in Bury, and how to get involved through the Big Help Out, see https://www.bury.gov.uk/local-leisure-events/coronation-king-charles.

People can also share their volunteering stories or opportunities on social media using the hashtag #burybighelpout