‘Building Community Together’ in celebration of volunteering
National Volunteering Week, May 19-25
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Volunteers from Petitswood Manor working on their clean-up day.Image 2 of 7
Tree Planting at Grange by some of the volunteers who are International Protection applicants, along with members of Coillte and Crann.Image 3 of 7
Junior Tidy Towns volunteers Eoin, Isobel, Maria and Aibhe.Image 4 of 7
Eileen, Evan, Declan, Niall, and Damien – Evan and Niall volunteer from The Link Muíriosa Foundation every week; here they were helping to plant new flowers at Cusack Park.Image 5 of 7
Billy and Jason engaging with volunteers from the Ukraine hub ahead of a walk and talk and clean-up event on the Royal Canal.Image 6 of 7
Liam, Conor Adam and Philip, volunteers from Shandonagh helping at clean-up event.Image 7 of 7
Volunteers from The Friars Mill, who are out every week helping keep the town litter free.National Volunteering Week – the third week of May every year – is dedicated to showcasing the enormous contribution of volunteers and their impact on our communities.
There will be events across the country, from volunteering information sessions and coffee mornings to yoga classes for volunteers, along with training for volunteer managers. This year’s theme is Building Community Together, with a specific focus on the social opportunities that volunteering offers such as meeting new people, making friends and connecting with your community.
Sharon Timothy, coordinator of Westmeath Volunteer Centre, said: “Outside of home and work, volunteering is the ‘third space’ for many people, where we connect, empathise, laugh and nurture.
“The bonds that are built through volunteering strengthen our communities and unite us as we mind each other. National Volunteering Week is an opportunity for the whole country to celebrate how our countless instances of supporting our community connects us into a huge network of care.”
National Volunteering Week is anchored by a digital campaign sharing personal volunteer stories and encouraging people across the country to think about the impact that volunteers have on our communities.
National Volunteering Week 2025 is sponsored by the Irish League of Credit Unions, who understand the importance of volunteering with over 3,200 volunteers on the island of Ireland.
Brendan Jenkins, president of the Irish League of Credit Unions, said: “We are delighted to sponsor National Volunteering Week, an initiative that aligns perfectly with the credit union philosophy of ‘people helping people’. As member-owned financial cooperatives, volunteerism is at the heart of what we do. It strengthens communities, fosters connection and empowers people. Our sponsorship reinforces our dedication to community service, financial wellbeing and our cooperative principles.”
We are also delighted once again to partner with Healthy Ireland who share our vision of healthy, sustainable communities.
National Volunteering Week
This year’s theme for National Volunteering Week is Building Community Together. Events will take place across the country covering everything from training, recognition and wellbeing.
Volunteer Ireland is the national volunteer development organisation and a support body for all local Volunteer Centres in Ireland. Its vision is an Ireland where volunteering thrives. Volunteer Ireland works to increase awareness of, access to and quality in volunteering in Ireland.
For further information, visit: volunteer.ie.
Volunteer Centres
The 29 Volunteer Centres are the local leaders in community engagement, supporting and promoting volunteering.
They provide a placement service between individuals and groups who want to undertake voluntary activity and organisations that are seeking to involve volunteers, along with a range of other services.
A full list of Volunteer Centres is available online.
https://volunteerwestmeath.ie/
Mullingar Tidy Towns - an example of how volunteering works
The committee of Mullingar Tidy Towns are deeply grateful to every volunteer who has given time and energy to enhance the beauty and cleanliness of the town.
Whether you’ve joined in for an hour or dedicated countless days, your efforts have made a tangible difference in the community. Your commitment to litter-picking, planting, weeding, and promoting biodiversity and other jobs, such as painting and grass-cutting, improves the environment, and fosters a sense of pride and unity among the people of the town.
Without all the support, Mullingar Tidy Towns would not have been able to archive excellent results in competition.
As well as that, volunteers have made new friends, and those who are new to the town are made to feel welcome as volunteers share their knowledge – members learn from one other, which is a core value of volunteering.
Mullingar Tidy Towns are proud to have been recognised as the Community Group of the Year at the Mullingar Chamber Business Awards and to have received a gold award in the Pride of Place competition.
They took bronze level prizes for four years in a row (2021-24) in the SuperValu National Tidy Towns Competitions, and received fifth place (their highest place) in the Irish Business Against Litter 2023. Those accolades reflect the collective spirit and dedication of the volunteers.
Bill Collentine, chairperson, said: “Thank you for being the heart of Mullingar Tidy Towns. Together, we continue to make our town a cleaner, greener, and more vibrant place to work live and play.”