Budget 2011 included an increase in the approved mileage rate and the extension of the passenger allowance to volunteers.

On 22 March, the Office for Civil Society named Volunteering England as one of nine strategic partners and set out its funding as £500,000 for 2011012, three-quarters of that (£375,000) for 2012-13 and half of that (£250,000) for 2013-14.

The Volunteer Rights Inquiry, set up in November 2009, today launches its Call to Action, the ‘3R Promise,’ asking organisations to commit to ‘getting it right’, ‘achieving reconciliation’ and ‘accepting responsibility’ in resolving matters of conflict with volunteers.

Justin Davis Smith, Chief Executive of Volunteering England, welcomed the announcement from the Cabinet Office that the Civil Service has committed to giving 30,000 volunteering days a year, with each civil servant encouraged to do at least one day to volunteering.

"Volunteering England welcomes the broad proposals to revise the safeguarding systems announced as part of the Freedom Bill. The portability of criminal records checks will be widely seen as helpful by volunteers and volunteering organisations. The lower level of involvement for people and roles will also reduce a significant barrier to volunteering."

Local public spending cuts are threatening to undermine the volunteering movement, warns Volunteering England Chief Executive Dr Justin Davis Smith.