YHA Manchester is calling on local people to get involved with The Big Help Out painting party on Monday 8 May.

Staff have organised a volunteering party to paint the accessibility ramp railings around the entrance to the youth hostel in Potato Wharf, and everyone is welcome to get involved.

YHA (England & Wales) is amongst some of the UK’s best known charities taking part in The Big Help Out – one of the centrepieces of the celebrations planned for the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort.

The leading youth and outdoor access charity is hosting a number of self-led and organised volunteering events at its youth hostels on Monday 8 May.

The painting party is amongst a number of organised and self-led Big Help Out events which are being run by YHA, They are free to join and designed to encourage people of all ages to try volunteering and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.

Micro-volunteering litter picking opportunities are available at youth hostels throughout England and Wales thanks to the support of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) which has given YHA a number of its Hills to Oceans (H2O) litter picking kits. The kits are available to reserve and collect at participating hostels.

BMC’s H2O campaign aims to remove as much litter and plastic from our hills, mountains and crags as possible, so it doesn’t end up in our oceans.

Jamie Wakefield YHA’s Senior Volunteering and Youth Programmes Manager, said: “The litter picking and bug hostel kits are a great opportunity for a self-led family activity which introduces children and adults to basic conservation volunteering — something very close to His Majesty The King’s heart.”

In addition to the painting party at YHA Manchester, people can register for a take part in the following organised group volunteering activities on Monday 8 May:

• YHA London Central Litter Clean
• YHA Ironbridge Coalport River Severn Litter Clean
• YHA Manchester Painting Party
• YHA Conwy Litter Clean
• YHA Dartmoor Guided Walk and Litter Clean

YHA is one of the founding partners of The Big Help Out which is designed to raise awareness of volunteering throughout the UK and provide opportunities for people to experience volunteering and make a difference in their communities.

Volunteers are hugely important to YHA and make a significant contribution through giving their time to help the charity maintain its 150-strong network of youth hostels. Year-round volunteer opportunities with YHA include residential placements in hostels, gardening, youth work, painting, management of small youth hostels and even virtual volunteering.

YHA (England & Wales) has a long association with the royal family. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the patron of the charity from 1959 until her death last year. YHA has also long provided accommodation and volunteering opportunities for young people participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

James Blake Chief Executive of YHA (England & Wales) said: “We are delighted to be involved with The Big Help Out. Volunteers are the foundation of YHA and make a significant difference in supporting us in our mission to increase access to the outdoors. Volunteering not only supports charities and the work that they do, it also brings people and communities together but provides young people with vital life skills. The Big Help Out is a wonderful initiative which will leave a tangible legacy following the King’s coronation.”

To reserve a Bug Hostel Kit or BMC Litter Picking Kit, or book a place on one of YHA’s organised Big Help Out events, visit https://volunteer.yha.org.uk/event/TheBigHelpOut