Last updated 11:45, Wednesday, 23 July 2008

SHOPWORKERS’ union Usdaw is calling for an extra bank holiday to promote voluntary and community work..

The union has backed the Community Day campaign, by the TUC and four of the UK’s largest voluntary organisations.

The holiday would fall during the October half term.

John Hannett, Usdaw general secretary, said: “Most of us spend a large part of our waking lives at work. It can be easy to forget that we are part of a wider community or to find the time to make our contribution. We want to redress that balance between our members’ working lives and the rest of their lives.

“Great Britain currently has fewer holidays than the average for EU member states. That’s why we believe a Community Day in October would be a great benefit to our members.”