Boris Johnson celebrates volunteering with Christmas carol service

19 December 2011

Fresh Business Thinking (website)

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson will tonight (Monday) celebrate the vital role volunteers play in society by hosting a carol service in their honour in Southwark Cathedral.

The free public event will include readings by young people who volunteer as members of the City Year London Corps, which specialises in education and community action projects aimed at transforming the lives of children and young people in the most deprived communities in London. One of those giving a reading will be Muktari Richards from Hackney, who earlier this year received a Team London volunteering certificate from the Mayor. Backed by the Reuben Brothers, Team London is the Mayor’s ambitious programme to mobilise an army of volunteers across the capital.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who wants to recruit a further 10,000 Team London volunteers by May 2012, said: “During this season of goodwill, I ask all Londoners, regardless of their beliefs, to consider an essential message of Christmas, which is about giving. In a difficult year, it has been truly inspiring how Londoners have come together to give their time and to help others in their communities. As the young people taking part in our carol service show, there are many ways to volunteer and it does not matter what age you are and I hope other Londoners will follow sign up for Team London.”

The Mayor will give a reading, as will Chair of the London Assembly, Jennette Arnold. Other volunteers taking part in the carol service will be the Choir of St Luke’s, Chelsea, and the LA Singers, which features staff from the London Ambulance Service. Londoners of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome to attend the free event, which will bring together representatives from businesses, community organisations and faith groups.

“Christmas is such an uplifting time of the year so it is an honour to be representing City Year at the Mayor’s carol service. My mum is going to be really excited too!”, said one volunteer- Muktari Richards from Hackney