Blue Care celebrates 60 years of volunteers

Leading not for profit service provider Blue Care will thank its 2,311 volunteers across Queensland and northern New South Wales for their invaluable support as part of International Volunteer Day next month.

Blue Care executive director, Robyn Batten, said Blue Care volunteers offer their time, experiences and individual skills to give something back to the community.

“Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at Blue Care and it is important to celebrate and acknowledge their invaluable contribution,” she said.

“As Blue Care celebrates its 60th anniversary year we reflect on the past and our beginnings in Brisbane’s West End. If it was not for the hard work, dedication and goodwill of volunteers and parishioners of The Methodist Mission in 1953 we would not be where we are today.

“Whether volunteers give one day each week or an hour each month, Blue Care appreciates every second they commit to helping others.

“Volunteers take time to listen to residents and clients, who enjoy the time spent together as they share knowledge, stories and companionship.”

Of the 2,311 volunteers at Blue Care, more than 1,771 are female. The average age of a Blue Care volunteer is 61, with its oldest volunteer now 93.

In 1985, the United Nations General Assembly founded the International Volunteer Day (IVD) to globally acknowledge volunteer work by highlighting their contribution to communities. IVD provides volunteer organisations and individual volunteers with the opportunity to raise the public awareness of their contributions.

Pictured is Blue Care’s service manager, Caroline McCormack.

To find out more about how to become a Blue Care volunteer, visit www.bluecare.org.au