Volunteering Awards Celebration 2009
The Volunteering Awards Celebration is hosted by Community Action to provide an annual opportunity to recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution to the community made by Royal Holloway volunteers. This year has been no exception with over 650 registered volunteers working with over 100 Community Partners on numerous projects in the area. The top 100 volunteers have contributed more than 5,000 hours between them. This evening gathers college representatives, community partners and our volunteers.
This year the Awards Celebration took place on Tuesday 2nd June 2009 which were followed by reception drinks for Community Action volunteers. The Tutoring & Mentoring Awards were celebrated during the evening this year too. Deputy Principal Robert Kemp once again hosted the evening on behalf of Community Action, with our special guest speaker Andy Burns, director of local youth charity east to west. Other guests included the Mayor of Runnymede Cllr Paul Tuley, Chair of Surrey County Council and the Mayor of Spelthorne Caroline Spencer. This year we were also joined by Gareth Owen and Esther Nash of Surrey vinvolved, a national youth volunteering initiative, they assisted by presenting vthankyou and vfifty awards to volunteers.
Guest Speaker: Andy Burns - Director of east to west
Andy is the Director of east to west Trust, an organisation based in Surrey that is passionate about ‘Bringing Hope to Young Lives’. He is married to Catherine and is the dad of Elijah and together they enjoy spending time in the mountains and in the local curry house. Andy is originally from Middlesbrough and is an afflicted supporter of the team.
East to West is a youth charity based in Surrey. Their mission statement is two fold; to see Young People impacted by Hope and; to see Youth Workers empowered and equipped to impact Young People with Hope. Hope of Restoration, Reconciliation and Transformation.
This Hope is expressed through placing youth workers in The Magna Carta, The Matthew Arnold & Charters School’s. Putting a Police Community Youth Worker into Egham Police Station and providing emergency accommodation for homeless teenagers. East to west run training and networking events as well as speaking engagements.
"The evening is a real celebration and recognition of all that Royal Holloway students and staff contribute through volunteering in the local community" Phil Simock, RHUL Community Action Volunteer Co-ordinator.
Volunteering accreditation certificates were awarded to those who had given over 30 hours to volunteering during the past year. Other Community Action awards were presented as below.
Volunteering Club of the Year 2008-09 - Men's & Women's Basketball
Volunteering Society of the Year 2008-09 - Drama
Community Partners of the Year 2008-09 - Egham Youth Centre & BEN - the automotive industry charity
Project Leader of the Year 2008-09 - Tom Banks & Natalie Cook (ESOL) & Beckie Wingrove (EGVRA party)
International Volunteer 2008-09 - Napolion Ghebru
Community Action Student team 2008-09 - click here to view team members
The Students' Union sponsors the Best Volunteering Club and Society of the year trophies.
Further special awards included;
Volunteering England Gold Awards are the only nationally recognised awards where students’ achievements are honoured by their peers. As such, they are a prestigious mark of excellence in student volunteering. From unsung heroes to those who have defied the odds or shown remarkable leadership, each year, the Gold Awards reward a select band of special student volunteers. They are awarded in one or all of the three areas of Leadership, Dedication and Achievement.
Winner: Emily Cookson for Dedication, Leadership and Achievement
Nominator: Zed Linney – Egham Youth Worker, Surrey County Council
Emily has organised great drama sessions on a Monday night at Egham Youth Centre. She has showed dedication and supported young people to focus on drama workshops that have been well thought out and planned. The young people have enjoyed taking part and she has kept them motivated and inspired they enjoyed the sessions and her enthusiasm is great!
Winner: Holly Powell-Jones for Dedication
Nominator: Susan Cowan - Volunteer/Community Liaison Manager, North Surrey Victim Support
Holly has been with Victim Support since May 2008 and since completing her training has supported twenty victims of crime. The feedback that I have received from the victims is excellent.
Holly is caring, empathetic and most importantly she listens.
Holly is a valuable member of the North Surrey Victim Support Team. I would really like to see Holly recognised for the hard work she puts in on behalf of Victim Support.
Winner: Michaela Niemela for Dedication
Nominator: Julie Manning - Befriending Scheme Co-ordinator, Spelthorne Community Network
Michaela is a very dedicated young lady to our befriending scheme and newly formed "Buddy Group". She worked extremely hard befriending a Turkish young lady with no English language, managing to meet her and go out at the right times and places that had been arranged when the young Turkish lady had often misunderstood due to the language barrier, this did not deter Michaela.
Also Michaela is the mentor for the newly formed Buddy Group, co-ordinating where they meet, suggesting fun and interesting places for them to go, often twice a week! Michaela has developed a good relationship with the clients in the Buddy Group and they adore her and look forward to the events she arranges.
Michaela is a very caring person and a real asset to us!
The Surrey Cup for Mentor and Tutor of the year 2009 presented by the Chair of Surrey Council, Mrs Fraser.
Mentor of the year - Gemma Lea
Tutor of the year - Alice Trapnell
The Mayor's Cup for student volunteer of the year 2009 presented by the Mayor of Runnymede, Cllr Paul Tuley. (a new award for this years awards)
Student volunteer of the year - Rob Birks
Rob has completed over 180 hours of volunteering this year alone, and been an active volunteer for the past 3 years as an undergraduate student at Royal Holloway. He has been consistently involved with several charity and community organisations; these include fundraising events for the British Heart Foundation, such as this years Christmas Santa’s event which raised over £300 alone in one night! , on Saturday mornings volunteering as a buddy in a local sports club for young people with special needs, leading a number of project teams during Make A Difference Day, The Big Spring Clean and Volunteering Week events, and being a crucial part of the Community Action student team over the past two years – especially with regards to using his media skills to help promote a volunteering culture on campus and beyond. Rob also helped out at the special Christmas Party in Founders’ which supported the Englefield Green Village Residents’ Association to invite a number of local elders to celebrate Christmas together – with all the Christmas trimmings, musical accompaniment and a Christmas raffle!
Further information from previous Community Action Volunteering Award Celebrations;
RHUL Community Action Volunteering Awards Celebration 2009
RHUL Community Action Volunteering Awards Celebration 2008
RHUL Community Action Volunteering Awards Celebration 2007
