Volunteering Awards Celebration 2010

The Royal Holloway 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 850 registered volunteers working with over 120 Community Partners on numerous projects in the area. The evening gathers college representatives, community partners and our volunteers.

This year the Awards Celebration took place on Tuesday 1st June 2010 followed by reception drinks for Community Action volunteers. Acting Principal Robert Kemp once again hosted the evening on behalf of Community Action, with our special guest speaker Geogia Boon, Head of Volunteering at Oxfam. Other guests included the Mayor of Runnymede, and representatives from Volunteering England, and vstudents. Once again we were joined by Tracy Osborne and Esther Nash of Surrey vinvolved, the national youth volunteering initiative, who assisted by presenting vthankyou, vfifty and a special vimpact award to volunteers.

Guest Speaker: Georgia Boon - Head of Volunteering & Trading Internal Communications, Oxfam

"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 Manager.

Volunteering accreditation certificates are awarded to those who had given over 30 hours to volunteering during the past year. Other Community Action awards are presented during the evening too.

Volunteering Club of the Year 2009-10 - Basketball

Volunteering Society of the Year 2009-10 - Absolute Harmony

Community Partners of the Year 2009-10 - Oxfam & Rotary Club of Egham

Project Leader of the Year 2009-10 - Michaela Niemela & Jon Saunders (EGVRA Seniors Christmas Lunch)

International Volunteer 2009-10 - Sukanta Chakravorty

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 include;

The Mayor's Cup for student volunteer of the year 2010 presented by the Mayor of Runnymede.

Student volunteer of the year 2010- Luka Blackman-Gibbs

Luka initially contacted the Community Action volunteer office at Royal Holloway, University of London with a concept to set up a scheme called Study Buddy. Over the past 10 months Luka has initiated and set up with the generous help of the College’s Annual Fund an innovative new project for the exchange of languages and cultures called Study Buddy involving over 120 students. This project involves recruitment of volunteers, planning and delivering meet & greet sessions, purchasing relevant materials and organising networking events. For many involved this has helped build self-confidence in a safe focused environment where friendships can be fostered naturally across the nationalities represented.

Further to this innovative project Luka has also found time to commit as a regular youth work volunteer at Egham Youth Centre’s generic drop in evening sessions.

"Luka is much respected by every member of the club and has a natural ability to engage with and communicate effectively at all levels. Luka has been instrumental in organising and managing activities in the course of the evening and her bubbly, happy disposition adds to the overall ambiance and success of this venture." PCSO John Cundy (Englefield Green)

Official Press Release - click here

Volunteering England newsletter - RHUL Awards story

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