Celebrating volunteering in Tipperary
The inaugural Tipperary Volunteering Fair will take place on June 28th in Nenagh’s Scouts Hall. Members of the public are encouraged to come and meet their local community groups and see what services and volunteer roles are available. It is a free event and open to the public between 11am and 2pm.
Community organisations and groups are invited to showcase what they do, recruit new volunteers, celebrate their current ones and network with other groups. Space will be provided for groups to set up a stall.
The fair will have keynote speakers and inspirational stories told from volunteers across Tipperary including the 2017 National Volunteer of the Year Sr Patricia Wall aka 'The Flying Nun' from Slieveardagh.
The event is an initiative of North Tipperary Leader Partnership in collaboration with Tipperary Volunteer Centre & Tipperary Public Participation Network. Joanne Mc Carthy of NTLP said; “it will be a fantastic way for people who are interested in getting involved in their communities to learn about the volunteer opportunities available and how to get involved.”
“Volunteers are the backbone of any community group and its often the case where groups depend solely on volunteers to run their organisations. We are hoping the public will come on the day to support this initiative to promote volunteering and community spirit” said Joanne.
The event will also mark the launch of the Tipperary Volunteer Centre expanding their services into North Tipperary. Sara Mc Donnell of the volunteer centre said; “volunteering plays an invaluable role society and has a huge impact local community. It is not only a way to give back to your community, it also has so many benefits to the volunteer themselves such as positive mental and physical health, gaining valuable skills to boost career prospects and of course to have fun and socialise”.
Tipperary PPN Coordinator Avril Wilson encourages the many PPN members who are all volunteers in their own communities to attend on the day it will be a great opportunity for building capacity, networking and sharing information.
Organisations need to register to set up a stall but members of the public can just arrive on the day. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided to groups. To register your community group/organisation or for more information please contact Sara Mc Donnell by June 24th on 086- 0481743 or e-mail sara@volunteertipperary.ie