Scarborough RSPCA brings together community and local wildlife for The Big Help Out

Thousands of organisations across the country are getting together to give everyone the chance to volunteer in their communities during The Big Help Out which will take place on Monday, May 8, during the Coronation Bank Holiday weekend.

The Scarborough RSPCA branch shop will hold a volunteer drop-in on May 8 and wildlife inspector Geoff Edmunds and a Wildlife Friend volunteer will be available to talk to anyone who is interested in volunteering with the charity.

Almost 600 volunteers across the country have pledged to become Wildlife Friends as part of the RSPCA’s celebrations for The Big Help Out.

Whether it is joining with friends or neighbours to make a wildlife garden in your street, building a bug house or bird box for your garden, or organising a litter pick, there are a host of opportunities for people to do their bit to help the wildlife with which they share their neighbourhoods.

RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “Wildlife is in crisis – but everyone has the power to help save the nation’s wild animals, by joining the RSPCA for The Big Help Out. By working together, we can all do our bit to help the wild animals who share our communities.

“From planting wildlife-friendly plants, to building nest boxes, and organising litter picks, we are calling on people across the country to become Wildlife Friends to make our nation a safer place for wild animals.

“As the nation comes together for the King’s Coronation, it’s an amazing opportunity to do something new, while making a huge difference for wild animals, and their welfare.”

Visit The Big Help Out app and search RSPCA to find out more about becoming a Wildlife Friend.

Other volunteering opportunities in Scarborough include a taster session at the Age UK charity shop in Newborough and a green event at Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall.

The Big Help Out is a formal part of the Coronation celebrations and is supported by the Together Coalition.

It has been devised by Britain’s leading charities including The Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service, Rotary, National Trust, Guide Dogs and hundreds of smaller groups.

As part of the event thousands of volunteering opportunities hosted by more than 1,500 charities have been made available via the Big Help Out app.

Organisers hope there will be an unprecedented community mobilisation to mark the King’s Coronation, underscore the central role volunteering plays in our national story and inspire a new generation of volunteers.

The Big Help Out is being backed nationally by a host of big names including Bear Grylls, Elaine Paige, Deborah Meaden, Ellie Simmonds and Faye Winter.

Brendan Cox, is co-founder of the Together Coalition which is supporting The Big Help Out and organised the first ever national Thank You Day in 2021 for people to thank those in their community and staged the event again last year to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Brendan said: “How we mark the Coronation will reflect the kind of country we are.

“Along with the pageantry and parties, we hope an opportunity to volunteer will leave a long-lasting legacy in communities right around the country.”

For more information about The Big Help Out on Monday, May 8, visit https://thebighelpout.org.uk/