Britain has become a nation of volunteers reveals a new study from Zurich Insurance and the next 12 months will see a further rise in unpaid community work .
The insurer found that more than a third of adults in Britain are involved in voluntary enterprises, spending in total 52 million hours per week giving their services. The number of volunteers is expected to reach over 50 per cent during the next year.
However, Paul Emery, head of charities and voluntary organisations at Zurich, says that better training, insurance and improved personal safety procedures are required to make this a reality. He says: “While it’s encouraging that people want to get involved with their local community on a whole range of issues, it’s important that charities, local authorities and community groups ensure they are taking action to address the barriers people face to becoming involved.”
Zurich have their own volunteer project, an annual event where it staff are encouraged to take up challenges from local charities and organisations.