A GARDEN party in glorious sunshine at the Bishop's Palace Gardens in Exeter celebrated the success of the Volunteer Centres Devon 'Count Me In' project and marked the 25th anniversary of Volunteers Week this year.

The project, commissioned by Devon County Council, aimed to count the number of contributions made by volunteers to their communities and to thank the people of Devon for their time generously given to local groups.

The evidence gathered in the survey showed the importance of the role of volunteer centres in matching potential volunteers to local groups and organisations. It also demonstrated how volunteering plays a vital part in strengthening and sustaining local communities.

The Government has recognised the results of this project by giving funding to help place unemployed people in volunteering opportunities, building their confidence, increasing their skills and enhancing their employability.

The Rt Rev Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, opened the afternoon, and Emily Wood of BBC Spotlight spoke about her recent trip to New Zealand as a Winston Churchill Fellow, examining volunteering there. She also presented cheques to prize winning organisations and individual volunteers.

The Knightley String Quartet from Exeter University provided musical entertainment and after Pimms, sandwiches and cakes, the afternoon ended with a release of hundreds of red balloons — each one representing 25 Devon volunteers.