Leaders from a range of faith communities across the UK have come together to encourage Britons to volunteer over the coronation weekend as part of the Big Help Out.
The campaign will take place on Monday May 8, a bank holiday, and aims to inspire and recruit a new generation of volunteers by showing how easy it is to get involved.
In an open letter, leaders from the UK’s Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Bahai, Jain and Zoroastrian communities have called on people of all faiths to engage with the Big Help Out and “make a real difference”.
“The voluntary efforts of our communities are both internal and external,” the letter states.
“We believe that our obligations to others go beyond our own communities and encompass the whole of society. Whilst we come from different faiths, we are bound together by a shared national identity.
“We appreciate the role HM The King has played as a charitable leader and entrepreneur. He has championed volunteering as well as inter-faith harmony.
“The Big Help Out, over the Coronation Weekend, is a special opportunity to rededicate our communities to volunteering and service. We encourage our communities, along with the entire nation, to take part.”
The UK’s faith communities excel at volunteering and bringing people together. That’s why we are excited about what they can and will contribute to the Big Help Out— Brendan Cox
Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition which is organising the Big Help Out, said: “The continued support from faith leaders and groups, representing millions of people all over the UK, reflects the huge backing for the Big Help Out.
“The UK’s faith communities excel at volunteering and bringing people together. That’s why we are excited about what they can and will contribute to the Big Help Out.”
Opportunities available for the Big Help Out include a chance to volunteer with the Sikh Charity Feed My City Manchester and participate in a beach clean-up led by the Archbishop of Wales.
