Hope is within reach
We are living through very turbulent, polarised times, and fear and hatred are on the rise. But here at Reach we see people taking action every day to make society better.
Blog update: A Million Acts of Hope Action Week round-up
Over the last few months our within reach campaign has been highlighting the people who’ve been stepping forward to make a difference by volunteering their skills – and we’ve been encouraging others to do the same.
We were delighted to partner with the A Million Acts of Hope campaign to raise our voices even louder to show the helpful and hopeful actions being taken by so many people in communities right across the UK every day.
In the Week of Action running from 13-20 May, thousands of acts of hope took place nationwide. From litter picks and beach cleans to coffee mornings and shared lunches, people came together to support each other and show kindness, care, togetherness and compassion.
Volunteering your skills is the perfect example of an act of hope and we were pleased to see 411 people sign up to volunteer through Reach during the Action Week.
With over 1,500 opportunities to volunteer your skills live on our site at any one time, there’s an ongoing need for people to sign up and use their expertise to benefit charities and groups of all kinds.
We’ve loved sharing stories of the inspirational people who volunteer their skills as part of within reach. Now we’re proud to be carrying this on and continue to highlight the incredible difference they make in a new series ‘Stories of impact’, which will run on social media and in our newsletters in the coming months.
If you're not currently volunteering and you’ve ever wondered if your skills can make a difference, now’s the time to find out. Sign up to volunteer today.
Original blog
What is A Million Acts of Hope?
A Million Acts of Hope is a national invitation to celebrate the everyday acts of kindness, care and connection happening across the UK. At a time when division can feel loud, the aim is to amplify these everyday acts of hope and shine a light on the people and communities making them happen. The A Million Acts of Hope Week of Action will take place 13-20 May.
Most people want to live in strong, healthy, caring communities where everyone feels they belong. A Million Acts of Hope is about making that visible and bringing people from all backgrounds, and all walks of life, together.
A Million Acts of Hope is kicking off its campaign with a call for people to share what they think hope is.
At Reach, we believe hope stems from people taking action. And the more people who take action, the more hope there is – both individually and in communities.
It might be:
- Someone joining a group of volunteers to contribute their professional
- A trustee helping an organisation navigate a difficult decision
- A volunteer delivering a project or mentoring a staff member
These actions may be small. But they add up. They create capacity, they build confidence and momentum and they help charities and community groups reach further than they could alone.
And in doing so, they create change and hope for the future – as we have seen in our within reach campaign.
within reach
Since January, we’ve been inviting people to share ways they have volunteered their skills to support charities and community groups of all kinds.
And their stories show powerful impact - proving that change is truly within reach.
Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences as part of this campaign. You can see their inspirational contributions on our wall of love.
A Million Acts of Hope Action Week:
13-20 May
During the Action Week communities, groups and organisations up and down the country will be holding activities and events to highlight hope. From sharing a cup of tea with a neighbour, hosting a nature walk or litter pick or even running a ‘Hope Happens Here’ street party, a wide range of different events will be taking place.
At Reach, we’ll continue to celebrate our volunteers and the wonderful ways they help our organisations achieve more. We’ll be sharing stories and encouraging both organisations and volunteers to take action to create hope.
How you can join in
Take on an act of hope through Reach
- Sign up your charity or group and create opportunities for skills-based volunteers to support your cause.
- Volunteer your skills to support a short term project, in an ongoing role or as a trustee.
- Follow Reach’s activities on social media - you can find us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and BlueSky.
Take part in A Million Acts of Hope
- Sign your organisation or community up to take part.
- Sign the UK’s biggest ever thank you card.
- Thank someone who has made a difference to you.
- Inspire others to get involved.
Because no one can say the UK is divided when so many of us come together to show we’re not.
Hope is within reach.