CVS Falkirk & District Launch 'Capturing Volunteer Stories, 1984-2024' Exhibition

Founded in 1984, CVS Falkirk & District has gone by many names but it's purpose - to support volunteering - has remained constant. Volunteering has always been, and will always be, central to everything they do. It is the pinnacle of community participation, engagement, and empowerment within today’s society - which is what they strive to promote and support on a daily basis.

Launching their Volunteering Exhibition this week was an amazing opportunity to connect informally with volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations, as they reflect on and celebrate the impact of volunteering past, present and still to come. The Volunteering Exhibition is titled 'Capturing Volunteer Stories', as a little nod to their organisation name - CVS Falkirk & District - and provides the golden thread to the exhibition. The pictures, posters, stories, and items on display capture moments of active citizenship, where kindness and compassion shine through, where volunteers give their own time freely to make a difference and positive impact on the citizens of Falkirk and District.

CVS Falkirk & District team members Beth and Rachel said: “alongside these firsthand accounts, we are so grateful to the research volunteers who scoured the archives to find newspaper articles documenting volunteering right back to 1984. Showcasing the importance of community spirit and commitment, these clippings document volunteering as the pinnacle of community participation, engagement and empowerment. They also highlight that whether young or old(er), volunteering is an activity that everyone can get involved in, it’s just a matter of finding the right opportunity for the right person”.

Offering a sneak preview of the exhibition:

“As part of this exhibition, we asked the CVS Falkirk & District staff team: how important are volunteers and volunteering?

Victoria McRae, CEO, said: ‘Volunteers are at the heart of each community. Volunteering, for me, is a way of life, where I can bring my enthusiasm and energy, skills and knowledge, to help others in creating change, opportunity and benefit to our communities.’

Eloise Wilson, Partnership Development Manager, highlighted: ‘It’s important now more than ever we don’t lose sight of the core values and principles that volunteers and volunteering bring to our way of life and communities. Togetherness, inclusivity, kindness, dignity, and respect are just some of the values volunteering encapsulates, and I believe that those volunteers who practice these values really do make our world a much better place!’

Iain MacIntyre, Development Officer - Community Ownership, acknowledged: ‘Volunteers are critical to the success of their organisations – they are the organisers, the doers, the out-of-the-box thinkers, that make so much happen for those volunteer-involving organisations and the communities that they serve. Communities would sorely miss out, if volunteers were unwilling to give up their time for something that they felt so passionate about.’”

They are so excited to open the doors and welcome you in to discover the many amazing volunteering journeys that have happened in Falkirk & District. “It is impossible to capture all of the volunteer activity that has taken place during the history of our organisation, so, whilst this is not an exhaustive history, we hope you will appreciate the broad range of groups highlighted - from Scouts and Boys Brigade to Older People’s Lunch Clubs - as they explore the volunteer journey from first steps to a lifetime of commitment. As we reflect on and celebrate the past, we hope to inspire the next generation of volunteers to give it a go.” CVS Falkirk & District

Go along to Arnotdale House from now until the 20 September, and explore ‘Capturing Volunteer Stories 1984-2024’, a tribute to every volunteer (no matter what age or for how long) who has volunteered within the communities of Falkirk and District.