A promotional push to encourage people to volunteer for environmental, conservation and animal welfare charities is to launch this weekend through a link up between the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) and ITV.

The campaign is launching on 26 July within ITV’s Force of Nature documentary series, which is narrated by the actor Andrew Lincoln and looks at how nature is being impacted by extreme weather.

Viewers will be urged to visit the programme’s webpage that will signpost those looking to volunteer to the RVS’s GoVo platform, which will flag up live opportunities.

RVS is calling on environmental, conservation and animal welfare charities to sign up to the platform ahead of a potential surge in interest through the TV link up.

The six part Force of Nature series will be aired on ITV each Sunday.

“I don’t believe anyone can watch Force of Nature and not be moved by the extreme resilience and ingenuity of animals fighting to survive in the face of climate change,” said RVS chief marketing officer Dan Walsh.

“We have seen before the huge cultural and societal impact pioneering nature docuseries can have.

“This moment of heightened awareness is a real opportunity for our sector. Let’s use it to mobilise every potential volunteer who feels inspired to step forward."

"I’m grateful to ITV for inviting GoVo, and the charities on the platform, to help drive a movement that can inspire a new generation of environmental volunteers.”

ITV’s head of sustainability Jeremy Mathieu added: “As signatories of the cross-broadcaster Climate Content Pledge, ITV works to use powerful storytelling to do more than just entertain but also inspire real-world change.

"Force of Nature highlights the incredible resilience of the natural world, but it also underscores the urgent need for collective human action.

“We don't just want to raise awareness; we want to empower our audience to make a tangible difference. Working with the Royal Voluntary Service and GoVo allows us to turn inspiration into action by directing viewers straight to local volunteering opportunities."

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