# TUC calls for new Community Day bank holiday

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/05/24/tuc-calls-new-community-day-bank-holiday/
- Published: 2007-05-24T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Voluntary organisations and the TUC are calling for a new national bank holiday 
in October to celebrate and promote community activity and involvement. The call
is being made on the anniversary of the House of Commons approving the Bill granting
Britain’s first ever bank holidays on 25 May 25 1871.
The TUC, the National Council
for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Community Service Volunteers, Volunteering England
and the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action have made the call
in a letter to Gordon Brown and other politicians, and in a joint statement launched
today.

They say that a new bank holiday should be used to help build the Government’s “
vision of a society where voluntary activity flourishes and where all individuals
and communities are enabled to play a full part in civil society”, and would complement
existing well-established initiatives.

The organisations argue that the extra community activity and skills development
would offset the costs of an extra day off as the Home Office’s citizenship survey
estimates that the current level of volunteering is worth more than £40 billion 
a year in England alone, and CSV research shows that two-thirds of first time volunteers
go on to volunteer again.

## Advertisement

It would also help fill the UK’s public holiday deficit. There are three fewer days
off work in the UK than the average for the EU.

The groups suggest that the best time for such a holiday would be at the end of 
October, coinciding with the normal half term break and in the middle of the longest
current gap between bank holidays.

Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, Executive Director of CSV, the UK’s largest volunteering
and training charity, said: “Research shows that 11 million people would volunteer
if asked. A community day is an excellent way to involve them to reduce crime, boost
health, protect the environment and help young people to read and write. What better
way to bring people together to make a difference

and strengthen our communities?”

 * **[Deltek Becomes Major Sponsor of Architects for Aid](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/05/26/deltek-becomes-major-sponsor-architects-aid/)**(
   26 May 2007)
 * **[BHF announces 13 corporate partners for Help a Heart campaign](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/05/29/bhf-announces-13-corporate-partners-help-heart-campaign/)**(
   29 May 2007)
 * **[Giving is better than sex?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/05/30/giving-better-sex/)**(
   30 May 2007)