The support of British business is vital to building strong, active communities, Home Office Minister Fiona Mactaggart said today, as new findings on employer-supported volunteering and giving were published. The report Employer-supported volunteering and giving: Findings from the 2001 Home Office Citizenship Survey shows that many companies are already making a difference in their communities by giving staff the opportunity to volunteer or donate money to charity.  Read article

Workplace-based volunteering schemes are clocking up more than £1bn a year's worth of staff time for charity, Home Office figures released today reveal. The charities minister, Fiona Mactaggart, stressed the importance of employers giving their support to volunteering and charitable giving schemes as a report drawn from the Home Office's 2001 citizenship survey was published.  Read article

London: Summer is over, the drama of A-level results is past, and now about 200,000 students are gearing up for their next big challenge - heading off on a gap year.  Read article

Doing voluntary work could help the 12 million people in the UK who suffer from mental health problems combat stress and depression, campaigners said today.  Read article

Bromsgrove, UK: A UK heart charity is appealing for residents of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire to volunteer their services to educate the town's children on keeping their hearts healthy.  Read article

More than one hundred volunteering groups across the UK have been chosen as winners of this year's prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, giving recognition to the unsung heroes in our communities that play an essential role in our daily lives.  Read article

Staff who fail to commit themselves to voluntary activity should be barred from pay rises or promotion, according to business leader Digby Jones.  Read article

London: Doing voluntary work not only makes the individual feel good but can raise the happiness levels of a whole community, according to new research.  Read article

Charity leaders have called on the government to appoint a cabinet minister to represent the voluntary sector. The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo) this week launched its manifesto for the next general election.  Read article

London: Volunteering requires a make-over if it is to have wider appeal for young people, according to a new study published recently by the Institute for Volunteering Research in the UK.  Read article