Volunteers should not be exploited by politicians – The Yorkshire Post says

THERE is one Covid-19 lesson which is abundantly clear as the nation prepares to salute its carers – the response of volunteers, and all those spontaneous gestures of goodwill, have been incalculable.
Volunteers have been preparing food parcels for residents in need.Volunteers have been preparing food parcels for residents in need.
Volunteers have been preparing food parcels for residents in need.

This should not be forgotten by academics at Leeds, Sheffield and Hull universities who now intend to study this phenomenon for research purposes – or politicians like Sir Keir Starmer, the new Labour leader, who says “we must build a better society”.

Without the army of selfless volunteers, the NHS would have been overwhelmed by Covid-19. And while many millions of people did not want recognition when they gave up their time so freely to help others, they did not necessarily want their actions to be exploited for party political purposes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For, in many respects, David Cameron’s much-vaunted ‘big society’ has rallied to the rescue – in spite of some in Government and the hypocrisy of a certain adviser to the PM.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.