THEY are selfless, work hard and come from all walks of life – and in Leeds 2010 is going to be their year.

Hundreds of volunteers gathered at Leeds City Museum and joined the Lord Mayor, Coun Judith Elliott, in making a V sign – all in a good cause.

They came together to form the logo of 2010 Leeds Year of Volunteering, an initiative led by the council and Voluntary Action Leeds to encourage more people to take part in voluntary and community work.

A recent survey indicated that just under 20 per cent of people in Leeds were currently involved in volunteering, with their efforts contributing about £40m to the city's economy each year.

By declaring 2010 as the year of volunteering, the council is aiming to highlight all the good work done by hundreds of organisations across the city and increase participation.

As part of the initiative, a new volunteer centre has opened at Enterprise House in St Paul's Street. It will be open 10am-3pm Monday to Thursday to provide information about volunteering and match potential volunteers with groups looking for extra help.

A volunteer awards programme will run throughout the year, culminating in a final celebration event in December.

The Leeds Community Foundation has established a Year of Volunteering grants scheme offering sums of between £250 and £2,000 to support a wide range of voluntary work.

A website has been developed – www.leedsyearofvolunteering.org.uk – giving full details of events planned as part of the initiative.

Coun Richard Brett, the council's deputy leader responsible for 2010 Year of Volunteering, said: "As a city we are indebted to all those who give up their time so willingly to help other people and make the city a better place.We want to recognise them and get more people to join them."

Among those who attended the launch was Phil Hall, 19, who works with the city's No to Knives campaign. The idea of helping out was put to him by Connexions, the careers guidance service.

He said: "I have done weapons awareness sessions and talked to youth groups. It's been very rewarding and I would encourage people to get involved with voluntary work."

The "can-do" attitude in volunteers is typified by Duane Smith, 22, who, after being laid off from his building job, began helping out at the St Vincent de Paul Society, which has been helping poor communities in England and Wales for over 160 years.

Duane said: "A family friend got me involved. I collect and deliver furniture. It's good to be helping people and I have gained a lot and picked up new skills."

Coun Elliott said: "Thousands of residents already give up their spare time to work as volunteers and the 2010 Leeds Year of Volunteering is a celebration of the splendid work that they do.

"We want to encourage more people to do their bit for the city and the communities they live in, and this initiative will help to highlight all the different volunteering opportunities that there are.

"Volunteering can be a one-off activity or a more long-term arrangement, so whatever time you have to spare there's sure to be an opportunity to suit."

She told those attending the launch: "There are countless individuals and organisations who would benefit from some extra help. To anyone thinking of getting involved I would say, go on – have a go. You will be made welcome, appreciated by the people who benefit and in the process enrich your own life."

The Volunteer Centre Leeds can be contacted on 0113 395 0405.