With many thanks to Phil Bungay from Medway Neurological Network, https://www.medwayneuro.org.uk/, we were invited to join The Lord-Lieutenant of Kent and The High Sheriff of Kent Service of Thanksgiving for Volunteers on 12th March 2026.
This was the second year for this celebration of thanksgiving for all the vital work volunteers do across communities. The cathedral was full with volunteer representatives from a wide selection of groups and organisations, both known nationally, such as RNLI, English Heritage and the Blood Service, plus those local to the towns and communities of Kent, such as Baton of Hope and Street and Rail Pastors. There is the realisation that so many organisations and charities, such as our Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Support Group, function purely with the help of people enthusiastically giving their free time.
The Order of Srvice combined being reflective of our location inside a cathedral, including songs from a local community group, but at the end of the service, a light-hearted element was the dignitaries processed down the aisle, to the theme tunes of Hawaii Five-O and The Sweeney.
This was a significant way to acknowledge all the groups that rely on volunteers and all they achieve.