Celebrating our communities in Buckinghamshire

June is the Month of Community and in Buckinghamshire we are taking the opportunity to celebrate all the great work our communities do.

From fundraisers to food champions and support networks to street associations, our local communities are made up of people committed to helping others and improving life in their local area.

For the month of June, the focus is on celebrating everything that makes our communities great, including:

  • Saying a big thank you to all those who volunteer, in whatever capacity, including those who stepped up to help others during the pandemic and all those who have offered assistance as part of our Helping Hand for Afghanistan and Ukraine schemes as well as our unpaid carers
  • Shining a spotlight on the work the council does with local communities to make them even stronger, including the work of our 16 Community Boards and work with partner organisations
  • Sharing information on how people can get more involved in their local community including volunteering opportunities and other community initiatives
  • Raising awareness of the Bucks Online Directory which gives details of ongoing activities, schemes and community groups that people can get involved with.

Each week throughout June, the focus will be on different elements of community, tying into national campaigns and promoting local schemes and initiatives:

  • Volunteering and the Big Jubilee Lunch (2-5 June) which encourages communities to celebrate their connections and get to know each other better
  • Spotlight on Carers – coinciding with Carers Week (6-12 June)
  • Combating loneliness and isolation, coinciding with Loneliness Week (13-17 June)
  • Getting involved in your community and increasing health and wellbeing

Steve Bowles, Cabinet Member for Communities said: “Our local communities are what make Buckinghamshire the fantastic place it is. The Month of Community is a time to come together and celebrate, shining a light on the amazing communities we live in.

“We are grateful to everyone who gets involved with making their community a better place for us all to live and we want to say thank you to them for everything they have done and continue to do.”

Steve continued: “One of our key priorities as a council is to strengthen all our communities. Through the work of our community boards and localities teams we continue to build on these important relationships, working together to empower our communities and improve the lives of all our residents.”

There are lots of ways you can get involved in your local community. For volunteering opportunities check out the Volunteer Matching Service run by Community Impact Bucks.

If you are interested in supporting the efforts to help those who have fled the conflict in Ukraine find out more about our Helping Hand for Ukraine scheme online. One of the best ways to find out more about community projects and initiatives in your local area is via your Community Board. Find information on your local board on our website.

Don’t forget there are lots of Jubilee focused activities happening all over Buckinghamshire. Check out the Bucks Online Directory to see what’s going on and search for events near you.

Communities are being encouraged to tag their events during the month with the #monthofcommunity hashtag and to share on social media.