MP Grant Shapps has launched a new campaign aimed at recruiting volunteers to help charities and community projects in Welwyn Hatfield.

MP Grant Shapps has launched a new campaign aimed at recruiting volunteers to help charities and community projects in Welwyn Hatfield.

The local government minister unveiled BigSoc – short for big society – in the same week that Prime Minister David Cameron announced a national drive to encourage community empowerment.

Under the initiative, charities in the borough would line up a one day project with which socially-minded residents in the borough could assist.

This could involve anything from clearing rubbish to helping renovate a property.

Mr Shapps told the Welwyn Hatfield Times he got the idea for his latest campaign after around 1,000 local residents pitched in to help his re-election campaign prior to May’s General Election.

He said: “The number of people who came forward to volunteer came as a shock to me.

“Suddenly everyone wanted to get involved.

“So it occurred to me that if people are prepared to go out and knock on doors, deliver leaflets and put up posters, then they’re probably also willing to turn their hand to help great local causes.

“Now I want to apply the same organisational approach to help some good causes in Welwyn Hatfield.”

Mr Shapps added: “The idea is to identify half-a-dozen charities and offer to bring in a team for the day to fix a problem.

“I’ve already approached the Digswell Riding for the Disabled Association and the Digswell Nursery, which works with people with learning disabilities.”

To volunteer, call Welwyn Hatfield Conservatives on 01707 262632 or email grant@shapps.com