We are thrilled to share fantastic news from Community Impact Bucks! Stephanie Thompson, Head of Programmes and Business Development at Community Impact Bucks, received a special and well-deserved award from Pippa Kirkbride, the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire for 2025-2026. This recognition celebrates Stephanie's dedication and her outstanding contribution as a champion for volunteering. It highlights not only her personal commitment but also the wider impact of volunteering across our communities. As the driving force behind Volunteer Bucks, Stephanie strengthens, supports, and celebrates volunteering throughout Buckinghamshire. She shines a spotlight on the vital contribution that volunteers make every day - whether supporting local charities, community groups, or public services. Through her work, Stephanie connects people and organisations, helping build stronger community links across the county. By promoting collaboration and raising awareness, she encourages more individuals to discover the benefits of volunteering. She also helps organisations find the support they need to thrive. Her efforts make volunteering more visible, accessible, and valued. Under Stephanie's guidance, Volunteer Bucks has become a key platform for recognising and championing volunteers. From celebrating success stories to creating opportunities for involvement, the initiative plays a central role in growing a culture of volunteering across Buckinghamshire. During the award presentation, the High Sheriff personally thanked Stephanie and the Volunteer Bucks team for their support throughout her year in office. This recognition reflects the strong partnerships they have built and the meaningful difference they have made together. Stephanie's passion, leadership, and dedication truly embody the spirit of community. Her work inspires others to get involved, make a difference, and help create stronger, more connected communities. We are incredibly proud to have Stephanie as part of Community Impact Bucks. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) launched GoVo, a new national volunteering platform aimed at growing volunteering across the UK, with a large-scale media campaign. As the organisation behind Volunteer Bucks, the county’s dedicated volunteering platform, we know just how transformative volunteering can be — not only for local people, but for the communities they serve. We welcome the national spotlight on volunteering and fully support the ambition to increase participation and awareness, inspiring people to find the ‘role of a lifetime’. As the volunteer centre for Buckinghamshire, we connect local people with local organisations for local causes. We work with charities, community groups and partners alike to shout about the power of volunteering for the benefit of Buckinghamshire and our communities. Our ambition for Volunteer Bucks is to make volunteering easier, more inclusive, and more rewarding for individuals and organisations across the county. With our deep understanding of Buckinghamshire’s local needs, causes, and communities, we know where volunteering opportunities exist and who’s delivering them. We are actively engaging with RVS and NAVCA to explore how Volunteer Bucks can connect with GoVo for the benefit of our local organisations and volunteers. Our goal is to ensure you benefit from our local expertise, experience and connection to Buckinghamshire people and organisations with the potential to reach a broader national audience. Volunteering starts at the heart of communities, and we remain committed to ensuring it stays vibrant, accessible to all in Buckinghamshire. On the launch of GoVo, Kate Walker, CEO at Community Impact Bucks, said: “We welcome any initiative that shines a spotlight on volunteering nationally—after all, the more people giving their time, the better. We also know how invaluable Volunteer Bucks has become to Buckinghamshire charities, groups and people, as a trusted local platform and service providing expert support and guidance with everything that is involved in managing and finding volunteers. Volunteering is a top priority for us, and we’re proud to be pioneering new and innovative ways of reimagining volunteering for the future here in Buckinghamshire. I’d encourage Buckinghamshire charities, people and organisations to use the spotlight of the national campaign to share your own volunteering stories, promote volunteering roles and help us inspire local people to support local causes. ” Volunteer Bucks remains your go-to hub for local volunteer opportunities. If you’d like to get involved in supporting volunteering in Bucks, share your stories, or need help with local expertise and connections, get in touch with our Volunteer Bucks team at https://www.volunteerbucks.org.uk/ as part of www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk .

Celebrating the first year of Volunteer Bucks