Having a whale of a time with 'York Cares'
Posted on 15 February 2006
Dr Julie Hawkins, a marine biologist from the University of York has volunteered to take part in the event, which is taking place between 27 and 31 March. York Cares promotes volunteering to people in the workplace and wants 300 employees from across the city to give just two hours to join in with one of five volunteering taster sessions on offer throughout the week.Nearly 200 people from 10 employers have already pledged their support and more are signing up on a daily basis. People can volunteer in teams or individually.
Some Life Swap volunteers have chosen to share their experience of working life with primary school children, while others will landscape West Bank Park or drink sherry with the residents of York elderly people's homes. Those with a passion for heritage are opting to show people around the National Railway Museum or York Minster, while budding Sven-Goran Erikssons will help train six and seven year old children for a five-a-side football competition.
Dr Hawkins, of the University's Environment Department, has signed up to participate in the 'Chalk and Talk' session. She will talk to local primary school children about her experiences in the working world and share her expertise and knowledge of sharks and whales.
Julie said: "My work involves spending numerous months of the year in the tropics researching and studying the importance of protecting specific areas of the sea and its wildlife.
"As soon as I heard about this York Cares initiative, I had to get involved. As well as giving something back to the community, this project is an ideal opportunity for me to share my experiences and educate children about the environment and the sea and the importance of looking after the planet that we live on.
"I hope that some will even be inspired to become marine biologists, go in search of whales or want to learn how to dive."
As soon as I heard about this York Cares initiative, I had to get involved
Dr Julie Hawkins
Gayle Johnson of York Cares says: "If you have a few hours to give, York Cares can help you make best use of your time and talents to help others. Take the plunge and sign up for Life Swap Week!"
York Cares is an independent charity and has already received backing from local employers including City of York Council, Corus, Garbutt and Elliott, Norwich Union, and the University of York.
The five founding member companies of York Cares have already recruited over 300 volunteers who have given over 5,000 hours of time to support 50 community projects in the city. They are now urging more organisations and their staff to take part in the programme and in particular in Life Swap Week in March.
For further information about how to join York Cares or to volunteer for Life Swap Week contact Gayle Johnson on 01904 433482 or email: gayle@yorkcares.co.uk
Notes to editors:
- For further press information contact: Monica Green or Sarah Lilleyman, The Partners Group, 105 The Mount, York YO24 1GY Tel: 01904 610077 e-mail: monica@partners-group.co.uk
- York Cares is an independent charity promoting employee-volunteering. It is owned and led by local employers and nationally affiliated to Business in the Community, a unique movement of over 700 of the UK's top companies.
- York Cares is one of 26 Cares programmes across the UK
- York Cares' member organisations are:
- Benenden Healthcare
- City of York Council
- Corus
- Garbutt & Elliott
- HSBC
- Langleys Solicitors
- Mott MacDonald
- Norwich Union
- Shepherd Building Group
- The Partners Group
- The University of York
- York Evening Press
- York Cares has brokered over 300 volunteers giving over 5000 hours of time to support 50 community projects in the city.
- Life Swap Week takes
place in York from 27 to 31 March 2006.The five volunteering taster
sessions are:
- Chalk & talk - Become a panellist and share your experience of working life with local primary school children.
- Take a walk on the wild side - Help return West Bank Park to its former glory complete with a pond, bird feeding station and a community orchard.
- Join the biggest sherry party in town - Join the residents of York elderly people's homes for a chat over a glass of sherry and brighten up someone's day.
- Go behind the scenes at the National Railway Museum and York Minster - Bring the past to life and help steward at some of York's most well known visitor attractions.
- Warm-up for the World Cup - Show off your football skills and help train six and seven year olds for a five-a-side competition.
- The Environment Department at the University of York was founded in 1992, initially to integrate ecological and environmental sciences with environmental economics. The aim was to improve understanding of environmental problems, and how to solve them, through the consideration of both the human dimension and the underpinning science. Its objective is to develop sustainable solutions to environmental problems that are consistent with human aspirations and with global, regional and local institutions and markets.