Faith communities in UK unite to support the Big Help Out

FAITH communities across Britain have come together to organise volunteering initiatives on Coronation Bank Holiday on next Monday (May 8) as part of the Big Help Out.

The Big Help Out is one of the official projects of the Coronation weekend to promote, champion and showcase volunteering, a statement said.

It also aims to inspire a new generation of volunteers by making it easy for everyone to recognise opportunities and get involved.

Leaders from UK faith communities (Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Bahá’í, Jain, Zoroastrian) have signed an open letter supporting the campaign and urged communities to take part in it.

Last week, faith leaders and activists visited The Passage homelessness charity in central London. During the visit, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and others volunteered to sort donated clothing and serve food to the charity’s clients.

“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 open letter said.

The events being planned include a beach clean-up led by the Archbishop of Wales, a litter pick around BD1 led by Bradford Cathedral in collaboration with Don't Mess With Bradford and Bradford city council, a Coronation Street Party by St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church in London, a community jamboree by the Oasis Hub in Waterloo, a ‘Big Sort of Out’ of baby clothing donations led by Growbaby Teesside, the cooking and packaging of hundreds of hot meals to be distributed to the homeless in London led by Central Gurdwara London, a gardening project and mural painting on the wall of an electricity power station led by the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum etc.

“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 are excited about what they can and will contribute to the Big Help Out," said Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition, organisers of the Big Help Out.