Rory Moore
LSE undergraduate student Rory Moore has been recognised by the Prime Minister and the United Nations for his community work in response to COVID-19 and has been asked to advise the government on a new volunteering strategy.
Determined to help others at the start of the pandemic, the second year international relations student set up the Coronavirus Community Volunteering (CCV) initiative to support vulnerable and elderly people in his local area.
Through this new scheme, Rory encouraged people in his home village to deliver flyers to their neighbours offering help with grocery shopping or phone calls to help prevent loneliness.
His international network of friends and acquaintances at LSE soon picked up on Rory’s work and told him there was a need for a similar initiative in their countries too. In response, Rory worked with a tech firm to develop an app which matches local volunteers and community organisations to those who need help.
The app helped CCV Global expand to 40 countries across six continents, making it the largest COVID-19 volunteering network in the world.
In recognition of this incredible work, Boris Johnson has bestowed Rory with a Points of Light award – a prestigious accolade given to outstanding volunteers who are making a difference in their community.
Rory has also met with the Minister for Civil Society to discuss his work and has been asked to advise the government on the development of a new volunteering strategy.
Commenting on the award, Rory said: “I am incredibly honoured to have been recognised in this way. With the world facing the biggest public health challenge in over a century, my organisation has worked hard to assist those in need around the globe.
“Whilst I am delighted with the award, I am also happy that CCV’s work has simultaneously provided vital services to the vulnerable and encouraged individuals to help out in their communities.”
To anyone who has been inspired by Rory’s story and wants to make a difference in their community, Rory advises: “There are always opportunities to volunteer and help others. It is rewarding knowing that you are able to make a difference, and as CCV Global has shown, a number of small acts of kindness can have a significant overall impact.”
In a letter to Rory, thanking him for his efforts, the Prime Minister wrote: “Through your app design, you have made volunteering accessible and simple. Whether it is matching volunteers with those in need of essential supplies, or even just a listening ear, your network has touched thousands of lives. You are an inspiration, and a testament to the power of our youth in tackling one of the greatest challenges of our time.”
For more information about CCV Global, please visit: https://www.ccvglobal.org/
For more information about the Point of Light Award, please visit: https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/