Volunteers Week 2026

Celebrating Volunteering across Lancashire

What’s happening across the LACVS Partnership during Volunteers Week 2026?

During Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June 2026) we are delivering some amazing activities and opportunities across Lancashire. As individual organisations we support the approximately 10,000 voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise [VCFSE] groups and organisations across Lancashire to thrive and be sustainable, not just during Volunteers’ Week, but all year round.

Lancashire Association of CVS will be launching the Visions for Volunteering for Lancashire, we have 3 being developed, one each for our Unitary councils (Blackpool and Blackburn) and one for Lancashire 12; all showcasing the amazing work currently happening and looking at short term plans and long-term vision strategies for the areas. These have come through the work the LACVS Volunteering for Health project has been doing, which looks to strategically develop health volunteering and strengthen volunteering in Lancashire both in community and NHS. If you would like to find out more please contact:

Lancashire 12 – lisa.ross@bprcvs.co.uk
Blackpool – megan@communityfirstbwf.org
Blackburn with Darwen – Kate.lee@communitycvs.org.uk

Volunteers’ Week Activities

(please note this page will be regularly updated, but please use the contact details below for more information on all the activities listed)

In East Lancashire Burnley Pendle & Rossendale CVS volunteer hub and the LACVS LOCAL project are co-producing a volunteer recruitment fair, hosted in Pendle by Colne Youth Action Group. There will be many opportunities for anyone looking to get into volunteering, volunteers to talk to, and a low-priced café for refreshments (3.6.26 1-4pm). If you would like to find out more please contact lisa.ross@bprcvs.co.uk

LACVS LOCAL team and the DWP have been working together with Lancashire County Council on promoting the Volunteer Work Placement scheme the DWP through the job centres to the VCFSE sector. During volunteer’s week in Burnley there will be the opportunity for volunteer including groups in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale to come along and sign up. There is the opportunity to talk to the experts around volunteering over a brew and cake. It is hosted at BPRCVS offices in Burnley (4/6/26, 9-12 noon). There is a booking system to ensure you get your time with the specialists. This project is unique in that the DWP customers can have their expenses covered whist volunteering which is of massive benefit to small and larger groups and charities alike. If you would like to find out more contact lisa.ross@bprcvs.co.uk

Burnley Pendle and Rossendale CVS are also out and about in the weeks running up to volunteer’s week, talking to volunteers and volunteer including groups finding out how they feel about volunteering and sharing stories. These will be showcased on their website during volunteer’s week. If you would like to find out more contact caroline.littleworth@bprcvs.co.uk

In Lancaster, Lancaster District CVS host a Volunteer Achievement Awards ceremony every two years – the next is in June 2027 – but there is a strong appetite for some kind of celebration and appreciation of volunteers. For Volunteer’s Week 2026 they will be presenting Certificates of Thanks to volunteers across the district in celebration and recognition of their dedication and hard work over the last year. No categories, no nomination forms, just organisations requesting a certificate for their volunteer(s) and CVS will get them designed, printed, and presented. They are also looking to produce some short videos of the presentations and get some comments from recipients, to share on social media through Volunteer’s Week. This is a small, simple way of showing appreciation for volunteers and all that they do. If you would like to find out more contact markwaddington@lancastercvs.org.uk

In West Lancashire, West Lancs CVS [WLCVS] during Volunteers’ Week are having a Social Media Campaign to say a Big Thank You to Volunteers. Organisations across West Lancashire will send in a few words to say what volunteers mean to their organisation and say ‘Thank You’. These will be posted each day along with WLCVS promoting a variety of volunteering opportunities available locally. West Lancashire CVS will also be showcasing the many volunteering opportunities registered at a Wellbeing event in the Signpost Cafe based in their building and promoting the benefits of volunteering to attendees. If you would like to find out more please contact janice@wlcvs.org

In Blackpool, as well as launching their Vision for Volunteering Strategy, Community First Blackpool Wyre & Fylde [CFBWF] will be having a celebration event for the organisation’s volunteers. The celebration event for their 60 volunteers will show appreciation CFBWF have for their volunteers, and they will be sharing photos of the event and any stories afterwards. For more information contact enquiries@communityfirst.org.uk.

In Blackburn, Community CVS as well as launching their Vision for Volunteering Strategy have a full diary of events:

Monday 10-12 noon Valuing Volunteers: Volunteer Managers Training
Monday 1-3pm Funding Workshop – writing bid
Tuesday Vision for Volunteering launch 10-12 noon
Wednesday BIG THANK YOU event to all Volunteers in Blackburn with Darwen 11:00am – 2:00pm
Thursday Volunteer Fair, 11-2pm
Friday Nomination Writing Workshop 10-12 noon
They will also be launching the 2026 Community Volunteer Awards.

For more detailed information please contact donna.talbot@communitycvs.org.uk

Hyndburn and Ribble Valley CVS are giving an extra push on promoting volunteering through their volunteer brokerage on their webpage. And asking groups/organisations to highlight some of their volunteer achievements which will be promoted and put on their website; for more information please contact Dorothy.parsons@hrv-cvs.org.uk

Preston Volunteer Centre have their Volunteer Managers Forum & Celebration of Volunteering in the City on Friday 5^th June between 2pm – 3:30pm. This will be followed by the Step into Volunteering Fair for Sanctuary Seekers on Thursday 16^th June between 1pm – 6pm at St Cuthbert’s Church Hall, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 3AR. For more information, please contact joseph.cooper@communitycvs.org.uk

*Contact your local CVS or Volunteer Centre for volunteering opportunities in your local area.

Last updated: 19.05.26