Merton Council and Volunteer Centre Merton are asking all volunteers who dedicate over 100 hours a year helping others to register their hard work on a new web page at http://www.merton.gov.uk/ivolunteer

Volunteers over 16 are all encouraged to sign up and help the council find out how many residents are giving up their time and energy for others. All those who register will be in with a chance to win a cash prize of up to £250 for themselves and a further £1,000 for the organisation they help out.

The competition is open to anyone who is volunteering at the moment or who has volunteered in the past – and will have been doing so for at least a year between April 2007 and March 2010.

A barometer on the website will measure as volunteers register and when Merton’s target of 1,550 registered voluntary workers is met the prizes will be handed out.

Merton Council cabinet member for community safety and engagement, Councillor Henry Nelless said:

“Volunteers give up their time to provide an excellent service to a variety of organisations and individuals in Merton and they also form an integral part of the services the council delivers. It is helpful for the council to know how many volunteers there are in the borough so that it can encourage and support volunteering even more in the future.

‘This barometer and competition is one way in which the council can recognise the wonderful work of volunteers and reward individuals and organisations with some great cash prizes. So please log on and tell us how you get involved.”

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Notes:

*Organisations can register all qualifying volunteers on one form
*Prizes will be drawn when the target of 1550 volunteers has been reached
*Organisations can win prizes of £1000, £750 and £500
*Individuals can win prizes of £500, £100 and £50