Bath Abbey worshippers' gift of £200,000 of voluntary help
The congregation of Bath Abbey gave more than £200,000 of voluntary help to the city last year, according to a survey by the church.
The landmark church’s worshippers contribute more than 28,000 hours of unpaid time a year.
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Bath Abbey volunteers enjoy their annual dinner
Around two-thirds of this is within the abbey, but the other third is in the city community as a whole.
The survey - which used the Living Wage to calculate the value of the work - showed that its congregation put in 345 hours a week at the abbey alone, doing activities from welcoming visitors and stewarding concerts to running children’s groups and supporting services.
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Worshippers devote an average total of 195 hours a week to other local charities and organisations.
Activities include visiting the elderly, helping with educational workshops, staffing soup runs for homeless people, and acting as Mayor’s Guides to show visitors around the city. One worshipper is even a lock keeper.
Nick Holland, who welcomes visitors to the abbey, said: “The abbey has always fascinated me and I enjoy meeting new people.
“I may welcome in excess of 1,000 visitors from every corner of the earth and every walk of life in the few hours of my shift, offering a fresh challenge every time. I enjoy being part of the abbey and have yet to meet a volunteer who doesn’t have a smile on their face and a real willingness to give. Giving up a relatively short amount of time is a rewarding way in helping the workings of an iconic place of worship.”
Abbey rector Prebendary Edward Mason, said: “We hear a lot of talk about the Big Society. Here we celebrate a big-hearted society, one which contributes hundreds of hours to the abbey as well as the wider city every week.
“We are extremely grateful to our volunteers, but also very proud of the contribution our congregation makes outside the abbey. It just goes to show how interlinked the abbey and the city are.”
To find out about volunteering at the abbey, contact Dawn Farmer on 01225 303310 or email visits@bathabbey.org.
2 Comments
by Imp-Act
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 1:51AM
“Nearly 99% cotton tops! Where are the younger generation??? Like most churches these days it's mostly the older generation that support the churches. Maybe it's because they know their time is getting nearer to the final day on this earth and want the feel good factor! OR that they are just a very caring bunch and like to do good for others. i.e. The up and coming/next generation! Pubs and churches it seems are the biggest closers in the UK!
(Well done! Your all doing a very good job!) ... a line from?”
by espinho
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 7:38PM
“Well done Bath Abbey volunteers. I don't attend Church regularly, but I do recognise how much our communities owe to local Church volunteers. It isn't just Bath Abbey. If you look at the amount of voluntary work being done by local village Churches you can not help but be impressed. Our local communities would be sadder and poorer places to live without the hard work of Church volunteers.
They get only lukewarm support from B&NES and parish councils, who seem unable to support Church volunteers because there might be a 'faith message' behind the good deed.
Church volunteers - please keep up the fantastic work - if you stop - nobody is going to replace you.”