1. Message from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby

2. I’m delighted that you have come together today to explore ways to boost volunteering throughout Kent. As you will know all too well, as a society we are facing some extremely tough challenges brought about by global financial crisis in 2008. Whether it is food poverty, unemployment or providing care and support for older people, there are huge demands wherever you look. However, since then we have also seen a flourishing of voluntary work, as people rush to provide support in areas of their community where government provision has been stretched beyond its capacity.

3. So we are living in a time of great hardship, but also of great hope. Volunteering is fundamentally an act of hope, because it is about signing up to a vision of society in which we all truly matter to one another. It is a vision in which our wellbeing and that of our neighbour – whether they live next door or a few miles away – are bound up together. It is a vision that is central to the teachings of Jesus Christ: that we love God with heart, soul, mind and strength – and that we love and care for our neighbour as we do for ourselves. So your efforts together, not just today but across the board, are both practical and deeply generous. I will pray for the success of your time together at this conference. May the day bring you fresh insight and a renewed sense of hope, possibility and shared purpose in the vital work you are doing.