The Governor’s Volunteering Week message

As Patron of Volunteering WA, the Governor has recorded a message to mark National Volunteering Week 2020 (Monday 18 May – Sunday 24 May).

This year’s theme is “Changing Communities. Changing Lives”.

If you would like to say thank  you to our nation’s volunteers this week, you are invited to ‘wave your appreciation’ from your own home by uploading your ‘wave’ photo to social media with the hashtag ‘waveforvolunteers.’

Together, let’s say thank you this National Volunteer Week.

View the message in the video frame below. 

 

Full transcript:

It’s a pleasure to speak to you as Patron of Volunteering WA to mark a very important event in our calendar – National Volunteer Week.

The opportunity to meet with our State’s volunteers and acknowledge their work at the many events and visits that I attend throughout the year is one of the privileges of my role as Governor.

Normally in May I’d be looking forward to the annual WA Volunteer of the Year Awards to recognise the outstanding contributions of some of these volunteers. However due to COVID-19 we’ll need to celebrate another time.

A few weeks ago I spoke with Volunteering WA’s CEO, Ms Tina Williams, to see how the organisation was coping with the pandemic. It was inspiring to hear how many of us have taken the lead to help vulnerable people in our communities by registering for an ‘emergency support volunteer list’. Uplifting news during these challenging times and indicative of our Australian character.

Now, more than ever, is the time to recognise our volunteers and their contribution to our communities.

In WA, this means thanking the 600, 000 generous men and women who, from all walks of life, help their communities every day. They carry out the selfless work on which we so depend, without seeking thanks or praise.

In past roles as a Minister, particularly Finance Minister, I became aware how spare our resources were for critical social purposes. We are more dependent than most of our equivalents on the generosity of spirit among those who serve

Thank you for the work you do in ‘Changing Communities and Changing Lives’ and inspiring all of us with your tireless examples.

Let’s seek to celebrate, champion and encourage the importance and value of volunteerism today and every day – this National Volunteer Week and every week.

 

View all Articles