SCOUTS in Hampshire are organising a special event to celebrate The King’s coronation and promote volunteering across the UK.

Thousands of organisations across the country are getting together to give everyone the chance to volunteer in their communities during The Big Help Out which will take place on Monday, May 8, during the Coronation Bank Holiday weekend.

One of the organisations taking part in The Big Help Out is The Scout Association, which will run a wide variety of events across the South East.

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National spokesman Simon Carter said: “Scouts across the South East of England have risen to the challenge of taking part in The Big Help Out. We’ve got a wide variety of activities taking place throughout the region including a pop-up Scout Camp in Basingstoke to help people learn about the role of scout volunteers.

“We’re delighted to be running events like this to mark the King’s Coronation and to give people the chance to find out what it’s like to volunteer with the scouts and help out in their local communities.”

Bear Grylls, UK Chief Scout added: “I am so excited to see so many individuals across the UK taking part in the Big Help Out and I’m immensely proud of how Scouts are setting such great examples for people to follow.

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“The Big Help Out is a brilliant way to raise awareness of volunteering and to visually show how much of a difference it can make when we come together. Seeing all of the various groups helping their local communities in unique ways is truly special, and is also a wonderful volunteering example, inspiring thousands across the country to make a change for the better, whether big or small.”

The Big Help Out is a formal part of the Coronation celebrations and is supported by the Together Coalition. It has been devised by Britain’s leading charities including The Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service, Rotary, National Trust, Guide Dogs and hundreds of smaller groups.

As part of the event thousands of volunteering opportunities hosted by more than 1,500 charities have been made available via the Big Help Out app. Organisers hope there will be an unprecedented community mobilisation to mark the King’s Coronation, underscore the central role volunteering plays in the UK’s national story and inspire a new generation of volunteers.