Talking Features The Talking Feature Network

Today the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are asking firms if they are cheating or competing? This

follows new research which has revealed the understanding of competition laws and the illegality around these

practises is low, leading businesses to put themselves at risk of heavy fines and further legal action.

So, what should businesses be doing to make sure they’re keeping in line with the law?

You would have to be living under a rock to have missed the news of the latest virus to have swept over the world.

But what is coronavirus? Where did it come from? And with it recently coming to visit us in the UK, what are the chances of us catching it?

An overwhelming 88% of brits don’t feel part of their community, while 1 in 5 (19%) feel lonely. That’s according

to a recent survey by the charity Oxfam, in which people have opened up about how they really feel. Alongside

these feelings of isolation and loneliness, almost two-thirds of brits (61%) admitted that they do not feel happy,

together with only 10% feeling connected to those around them.

In 2018/19, 22% of people aged 16 and over in England took part in formal volunteering at least once a monthi.

The new research reveals that making new connections is one of the key reasons people volunteer, with 42% of

those surveyed believing that making new friends is the biggest benefit of volunteering. Over a quarter (26%) see

giving back to their community as a huge draw, with 38% motivated by the prospect of doing something meaningful.

Furthermore, nearly half of Millennials (46%) stated that learning new skills would encourage them to volunteer,

and a further 30% emphasized the importance of having a laugh.

Whilst many benefits would motivate people to volunteer, including an overwhelming 95% of respondents agreeing

that volunteering benefits the community, there are many perceptions that could be keeping people away. One

thing holding some people back is the perceived commitment required to volunteer, as one third (30%) of

respondents felt that volunteering would require too much commitment, alongside the one fifth who believe

volunteering requires a sizeable time investment.

Moreover, approximately 1 in 20 believe that volunteering is exclusively for older people, lonely people or

unemployed people. Whilst 1 in 5 (18%) of the UK feel ashamed by the lack of volunteering they participate in,

the perceptions on ‘how’ or ‘who’ can volunteer may be barring enthusiastic brits from supporting their

community, developing personal skills and building new relationships.