Anniversary exhibition by CVS Falkirk and District celebrates 40 years of local volunteering

The ‘Capturing Volunteer Stories, 1984 – 2024’ has been running at Arnotdale House over the last few weeks with its final day on Friday, September 20.

The exhibition, which CVS Falkirk and District says has been “a labour of love”, captures and celebrates as many local volunteers as possible.

Founded in 1984, CVS Falkirk and District has gone by many names but its 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.

The anniversary exhibition features pictures, posters, stories and items capturing 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 locals.

CVS Falkirk & District team members Beth and Rachel said: “Alongside these first hand 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”.

A spokesperon for CVS added: “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.”

‘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, runs at Arnotdale House until Friday, September 20.