Public service

The Big Help Out was a fitting conclusion to a joyous Coronation weekend that emphasised duty and service as virtues binding the monarch to the nation. The King has spent much of his life encouraging volunteering, and some six million people participating in this initiative is testament to the example he has set.

The Prime Minister said that he hoped the community volunteering taking place over the bank holiday would be “part of the legacy of this historic moment of national unity” and inspire people to continue in the years ahead. More than 33,000 charitable organisations took part and some 50,000 events were registered for the Big Help Out, ranging from Scouting activities and beach clean-ups to lunch clubs. The event is appropriate to the themes behind the Coronation and timely given the recent fall in volunteering.

Charities said the Covid lockdowns had a “profound” impact on the number of people prepared to give up their time to help others. A survey commissioned by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) found that the proportion taking part in sponsored events, organising charity activities and campaigning for good causes had all halved since 2018. The NCVO said people who were lifetime volunteers broke the habit during the pandemic and never returned.

None the less, large numbers still volunteer, leaving a strong foundation on which to rebuild. The Scout Movement is growing and some sectors have seen high recruitment as people returned in the run-up to the Coronation. If the event turns out to have marked the renewal of a strong community spirit, it will leave a lasting legacy of which the King should be proud.