Winners for this year’s Lord Mayor of Nottingham Volunteers Awards were celebrated at a special dinner.
The awards were open to volunteers from across the city and The Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Jackie Morris, called on people to nominate those who do things on a daily basis to make a positive difference to their local community.
On the night, there were five awards given out; in four of the categories and the winners were chosen by a panel including the Lord Mayor.
The winners included a young renal failure patient who helps young children with the same condition, a man who gives up his time to teach young boys football. There’s a neighbour who goes above and beyond to help people, a man who is a pillar of the community in Bulwell, whose aim is to improve the area. And there’s a business that supports staff to volunteer, whilst holding many of their own fundraising events each year.
Winners were given their awards at a special dinner at the Council House, in Old Market Square on Friday 8 April.
Dino & Pete, from the Capital East Midlands breakfast show, hosted the event; Nottingham raised singer/songwriter Rob Green performed, while Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood was also there to give out an award.
Two of the awards include the Employer Award, for businesses which encourage volunteering, and the Lord Mayor’s Award, recognising an outstanding individual chosen specifically for the contribution they have made. The winner of this award has been selected by the Lord Mayor herself.
The winners of each category are below:
Young Volunteer Award – Avais Javid, 19 from Lenton
Good Neighbour Award – Keith Lawton, 75 from Basford
Long-Serving Volunteer Award – Pat Gordon, 60’s from Basford
Employer supporting volunteering – Yorkshire Bank
Outstanding Volunteering Contribution – 2 winners: Helen Dexter and Bill Blackamore, 70’s from Bulwell Forest
Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Jackie Morris, said: “As part of my Year of Volunteering, I wanted to recognise the vital and important role that volunteers play in making Nottingham a wonderful and welcoming place to live. My Volunteer Awards were to celebrate our city’s unsung heroes – people who volunteer and do things for others on a daily basis without recognition or reward to make a positive difference to their local community.
“We had some amazing entries and picking the winners was incredibly hard, all those nominated should be so proud of everything they do to help others, you are contributing to making our city a great community.”
The awards were organised jointly by Nottingham City Council and Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS). They are linked to the Looking After Each Other programme, which is about bringing together people and communities across Nottingham. Looking After Each Other is led in partnership by Nottingham City Council, Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group and NCVS.
Winners of the 2016 Lord Mayor’s Volunteers Awards.
Young Volunteer Award – Avais Javid, 19 from Lenton
Avais, who has had renal failure since birth, won for his volunteering role within the Youth
Service. He embraced the opportunity to help and support young people in hospital and to give them someone to talk to who understands how they are feeling.
He is training to become a volunteer, but has taken on additional course specifically for working with young people. His volunteering includes ward visits, setting up activities for child and being an active member of the children’s hospital youth club.
Long-Serving Volunteer Award – Pat Gordon, 60’s from Basford
Pat won for creating the Vernon Colts football club. Every week for over 25 years he has given his time to train young boys from the community to play football. He’s trained many young players who have gone on to play for professional teams
He is so well known the football community and gives up his time regularly, not just for Saturday and Sunday matches but training through the week in the cold and dark nights.
Good Neighbour Award – Keith Lawton, 75 from Basford
Keith won for the help and support he offers to disabled and elderly residents where he lives. He does everything from their shopping to laundry for one disabled resident. He does the odd job for people and is often known to be out at all hours and in all-weather working unpaid to help those around him.
Outstanding Volunteering Contribution – Bill Blackamore, 70’s Bullwell Forest
Bill won for all the community projects and initiatives his has been involved with to help improve Bulwell. He’s instigated everything from a street party, to the Bulwell Forest Action Group, who met on a regular basic to discuss and resolve local issues. This led to the creation of the Fun on the Forest event, to promote and celebrate the different community, church and voluntary groups that operate in the area. Bill also help set up a Healthy Walking Group, The Bulwell Forest Community Garden, Bulwell Town team and The Arts Festival Committee.
Outstanding Volunteering Contribution Helen Dexter, Bulwell
Helen too has been an integral part of the community in Bulwell; having been born and brought up there she is passionate about the area and works heard to improve it for everyone in the community.
Her work with young children is incredibly important, having been a Brown Owl in the Brownies for over 40 years
Employer supporting volunteering – Yorkshire Bank
Yorkshire Bank won for the support they give their staff members to volunteer in their local communities. Each staff member is given two days off a year to volunteer and many of their staff are involved with local charities. They regularly hold fundraising activities, including coast to coast cycle rides, charity afternoon teas and last year a group of staff were given the time off to walk a 26 mile section of Hadrian’s Wall for charity.
Their staff have been involved in everything from litter picking, business mentoring school pupils, to holding quiz nights, breakfast clubs and coffee mornings.