Today marks the start of National Volunteers Week (2-8 June), and Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams is thanking volunteers across the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office (SCO), the Police and the Fire & Rescue Service for their contribution to keeping us all safe.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams said: “Volunteers are an important part of the work of my office, and I’d like to thank them all for their commitment and dedication in giving up their time to make a difference to the services and their communities.
“There are many different types of volunteering roles and each one has an important part to play in maintaining community safety. I recognise the vital work they do every day, and National Volunteers Week is a great chance to highlight this.”
In total, 72 independent volunteers support the work of the SCO, including:
- 23 Independent Custody visitors, who check on the wellbeing of people being detained in a Police custody facility
- 14 Appropriate Adults, who provide independent support to adult detainees who may be vulnerable
- 35 Commissioner’s Independent Scrutiny Panel members, who scrutinise Police powers and national and local areas of interest
Staffordshire Police has around 360 volunteers across a wide range of roles including Specials, Cadets and Chaplains. Across Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service, there are 32 volunteers who attend events and support activities including the County Show, young driver events, open days and more.
373 Community Speed Watch volunteers also supported the work of the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) in 2024, as part of an initiative to help local people address speeding problems in their own area.
Pauline decided to become a Community Speed Watch volunteer in Kings Bromley after she had noticed an increase in traffic over a number of years.
She said: “Being a volunteer, and part of a team with the same objectives, is satisfying because we believe we are making a difference. We know the villagers support us and appreciate our efforts.”
Deputy Staffordshire Commissioner Dave Evans is Co-Chair of the SSRP alongside Commissioner Ben Adams.
He said: “Our Community Speed Watch volunteers play a pivotal role in deterring speeding drivers. They volunteer on behalf of their local area to keep us all safe.
“I am grateful to each of the volunteers for the time they have dedicated to supporting the SSRP.
“I encourage anybody wanting to be part of a positive community to join one of our fantastic community speed watch teams.”
The Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office will be sharing more stories of volunteers on Facebook throughout Volunteers Week.
If you are interested in volunteering, find out more about the roles available and apply on the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office website: Volunteer – Staffordshire Commissioner (staffordshire-pfcc.gov.uk)
