We are excited to announce the inaugural Norfolk Festival of Volunteering, to be held in June 2026! Inspired by the UN’s International Volunteer Year (IVY) and the ongoing work of the Norfolk & Waveney Vision for Volunteering steering groups, the Festival of Volunteering is a month-long celebration of volunteers and volunteering. It’s a chance for organisations and the public to thank volunteers, share their stories, and inspire new people to get involved.

The Festival will take place across the county, with local groups and VCSEs encouraged to celebrate volunteering through sharing stories, hosting an event or activity, or publicly thanking their volunteers. Guidance and inspiring ideas will be shared soon, along with resources to help you get started. The most important thing is to let us know what you are doing so we can promote it as part of the festival and help volunteering reach as wide an audience as possible, inspiring new people to join in!

There were dozens of interactive displays at last year’s Volunteering Extravaganza

Voluntary Norfolk’s Volunteering Extravaganza, held at the Forum in Norwich since 2024, will be the ‘flagship’ event for the Festival, with VCSEs invited to book a stand and demonstrate how the public can get involved. We would love to see similar events popping up around Norfolk and can help with the planning and publicity – just get in touch if you’d like to organise an event in your area!

Whether you’re a large charity, a small community group, or an individual, you’re welcome to take part in any way that works for you, big or small. More information will be shared soon and we hope many of you will get involved!

Please contact volunteercentre@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk with any questions or ideas.