Over the Coronation weekend, we saw the very best of Britain but also the very best of Basingstoke. People across the borough came together in huge numbers to celebrate this once-in-a-generation event. Residents in the town and surrounding villages flew flags, put up bunting and had a party at community events, picnics and much more.  

The amazing local events I was invited to attend in Water End, Sherfield Park, Viables, Black Dam and Memorial Park over the course of the weekend demonstrated not only how proud we are of our country but how much we all love our community in Basingstoke too. 

It is true that our town has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, but the one thing that has remained constant is our strong community ties. There are many thousands of new homes and Basingstoke’s residents are more diverse than ever before. Above all, Basingstoke continues to be a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive place. The town has embraced forging new connections which are so obvious at moments of celebration such as the Coronation.  

This strong community spirit is born out in a recent residents’ survey which showed that more than eight out of 10 residents felt a strong bond to the area. Of course, we must always do all we can to boost this number up to 100 per cent, but this figure is something that most towns can only dream of, and it really does highlight residents feel Basingstoke is a great place to live. 

At the King’s request, the theme of the Coronation was volunteering and the ‘Big Help Out’, an initiative orchestrated by organisations across the country, allowed people to come together to make a positive difference in their local areas.  In Basingstoke on Bank Holiday Monday, I joined volunteer litter pickers in Brookvale in the morning and Buckskin in the afternoon, helping clean up streets and green spaces. Volunteering roots us all back in the community, building trust and camaraderie.   

We have an embedded tradition of volunteering in Basingstoke; nearly a quarter of all residents have volunteered in the past year. Whether you enjoy being outdoors, helping others or whether you simply want to be more active in local life, there are opportunities for everyone, and it would be brilliant to maintain the momentum from this Coronation weekend.  

One of the main reasons residents do not volunteer currently is that they don’t know where to go to find out about voluntary opportunities. In Basingstoke, we are fortunate to have Basingstoke Voluntary Action (BVA), which works closely with local organisations and helps individuals to find opportunities that suit their specific interests.   

BVA have a list of volunteer opportunities on their website bvaction.org.uk, there are face to face drop in sessions every other Tuesday between 10am-1pm. For more information about how you can get involved, you can contact the BVA by emailing vc@bvaction.org.uk or by phoning them on 01256 423816.