Volunteers' Week 2026 Volunteers' Week is an annual UK campaign celebrating the millions of people who give their time to local communities and causes. For the team at Volunteer Centre Greenwich, it is a chance to promote volunteering, recruit new volunteers and recognise our committed volunteers through the Recognition Awards. Across seven days, we bring together volunteers, organisations, residents and local leaders from across the borough. Here is how Volunteers' Week 2026 unfolded. The Launch of Volunteers’ Week 2026 It was a privilege to have Linda Bird, the outgoing Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, open the week at General Gordon Square, Woolwich, on Monday, 1st June. The Greenwich, Deptford and Rotherhithe Sea Cadets joined the celebrations, and around 123 people came along to the square over the course of the day. Our staff and volunteer team were on hand throughout, engaging with residents and talking about how to get involved in volunteering. The Volunteering Fair On Tuesday, 2nd June, we hosted a volunteering fair at The Nest, Thamesmead, in partnership with Volunteer Centre Bexley and Peabody, who helped promote the event across the borough. Fourteen groups attended, and 85 people came through the doors, including one grandmother who brought her two-year-old granddaughter along to find out about local opportunities. She wrote to us afterwards: Residents and organisations made the most of the chance to connect and discover what volunteering in Greenwich can look like. The positive response from organisations and attendees has inspired us to plan a second fair around ‘Make a Difference Day’ in October. This time, we will focus on gathering Greenwich groups at a location central to Woolwich. Roots4Life We joined Roots4Life at The Baker Centre, New Eltham on Wednesday 3rd June for a community lunch. It was a warm, informal afternoon that gave us the chance to talk to residents about volunteering in a setting that felt natural to them. The Recognition Awards This year, 70 volunteers received the Recognition 100 Award for dedicating 100 hours to volunteering. Our Recognition 250 Ceremony on Friday 5th June at Mycenae House marked 26 people who had each given 250 hours of their time. The event reflected the full range of volunteering across the borough, from grassroots community groups to larger organisations. We were honoured to be joined by the new Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Councillor David Gardner, who shared his support: Plumstead Make Merry At Plumstead Make Merry on Saturday 6th June, the borough's longest-running free community event, we met groups and residents from across the area. Thankfully, the rain did not put too many people off, and we had good conversations with around 44 local people. A Tribute to our Patron We also took a moment during the week to pay tribute to our patron, Judy Smith MBE, who passed away this year. Her commitment to volunteering in Greenwich leaves a lasting mark on this organisation and the community it serves. Thank You Volunteers' Week does not happen without the people who show up for it. Thank you to Volunteer Centre Bexley and Peabody for their partnership at the volunteering fair, and to Roots4Life for welcoming us into their space. Thank you to Mycenae House for hosting our Recognition 250 Ceremony, to Linda Bird for opening the week, and to the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Councillor David Gardner, for joining us at the ceremony. Thank you, too, to every organisation, volunteer and resident who showed up, across the borough and across the week. We are already looking forward to next year.