Inspiring Volunteer Awards Winners and Gallery 2023

Awards

5 Jun

As part of our Volunteer’s Week 2023 celebrations, we held The Inspiring Volunteering Awards ceremony at the Fraser Centre on 2nd June. It was attended by around 100 people, with a light supper for all the guest's, finalists and their nominators. The Inspiring Volunteering Awards ceremony was filled with appreciation and admiration for East Lothian’s volunteers. On this page you will find information on winners, finalists, a photo gallery and a thank you to everyone involved. Many congratulations to all our amazing winners this year, and to all our nominees – you’re simply the best, and you are ALL worthy of recognition!

The winners of the Inspiring Volunteering Awards 2023 awards are as follows:

VCEL’s Volunteer of the Year

Raymond Liddle with Volunteer Centre East Lothian

Raymond’s volunteering journey with VCEL started in August 2022, and he quickly became a highly valued member of our volunteer team. Raymond not only helps with our community pantry, community first and youth befriending, Raymond gives his time without hesitation and nothing is ever too much trouble we truly appreciate everything Raymond has done, from transforming our courtyard to brighter friendly space, to supporting service users to build confidence to get back out into their local community after spending time in hospital and making a bench for outside our office so people passing by can stop rest and chat.

It is said that the heart of a volunteer is never measured in size but the depth of the commitment to make a difference to the lives of others, Raymond is not only one of the most committed volunteers but he also has the biggest heart. Raymond you are truly one of a kind, and we cannot thank you enough everything you do.

Community Volunteer of the Year

Angela Fraser with East Lothian Council

Angela has been volunteering in numerous groups and activities across the Port Seton Centre: management committee supporting ASN youth group, over 60's lunch club provision &exercise classes across these different areas Angela has been giving up a significant amount of her spare time to better support her community and ensure that there is provision for all locally. She supports out over 60's ensuring that food is cooked and that care and attention is taken for each of those who attend the group. For many of those that attend this is their only day out during the week seeing other people. Angela has campaigned as part of the management committee to increase access to free exercise classes and ASN provision for those in the community. Through this she has successfully raised money to run both of these provisions. Without Angela's time many of the groups would have little support and consistency to run week to week. Through her hard work and dedication we have seen the number of people using the centre and attending provision on offer.

Environmental & Education Volunteer of the Year

Alan Hamilton with Bridges Project

Alan’s volunteering with Bridges Project started in 2022 when he stepped in at the last minute for one of our injured staff members to walk the 14-mile Kiltwalk fundraising event for us. This meant that Alan not only helped us raise vital funds for our services but it also demonstrated his unselfish nature and willingness to give back to the local community. This is something he has continued to display again and again during his volunteering with Build You Up over the past few months. The impact of Alan’s sessions on the young people has been remarkable. All of the young people attending Build You Up come from disadvantaged backgrounds and many of them do not have a male role model in their lives. By being taught about numeracy in a practical and relatable way by a man who has had a successful life and career, the young people now have a male role model they can look up to. It has been evident that the young people have been inspired by Alan’s life story. The fact that he is an older man who is giving back to the local community by helping young people has also given Bridges Project an intergenerational dimension which is incredibly valuable and gives Build You Up more depth.

It is incredibly inspiring to see Alan choosing to use his retirement to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. He could have easily have put his feet up after a long, fulfilling and successful career. However, he feels he is in a position to give back to the community and that is exactly what he has done. For that he deserves all the recognition in the world.

Health & Wellbeing Volunteer of the Year

David Dickson with Macmerry Men’s Shed

Davie has been a stalwart in our community for the past 15 years, giving up his own time to help others around him. He was instrumental in establishing the Macmerry Men's Shed, a shed set up to combat social isolation and loneliness in men, but also to provide a safe and nurturing environment for men to come together, speak about their health, both physical and mental, meet new people, learn new skills and be a part of a community of like-minded individuals.

The Men's shed this year celebrate their 10th birthday and it would be fitting to see David recognised for the amount of hard work and time he devoted to the Men's Shed. David has suffered from poor health over the last 6-12 months in particular and even from his hospital bed he was phoning and emailing folks to ensure the other men had their shed open and available to them in his absence.

He has always been driven to support others. The Mens Shed is testament to the hard work and committment that Davie has demonstrated over these last ten years.

Outstanding Trustee of the Year

Mary MacLeod with Home-Start East Lothian

Mary joined the board of trustees in 2011 after retiring as a social worker. She quickly became fully involved in the strategic leadership of HSEL. In the summer of 2014 she took on the Chair of the Board. At this time the charity was experiencing a change in personal but Mary kept calm and supported the staff team through the changes.

Her warm personality helped over the years to maintain a strong board of trustees, while helping the manager grow a strong staff team.

Mary began to question if she was still adding value to the charity when a worldwide pandemic hit. She stayed on the board as chair and helped the staff, volunteers and families steer a course through some very difficult times.

Mary is passionate about family support and encouraged the whole staff team to keep going, being there for a chat when needed and at times, encourage a stretched manager to keep going!

In the Autumn 2022 Mary decided it was time for her to go, but she didn't leave without ensuring she handed over the reins to a new chair.

We certainly can not thank Mary enough for her support, knowledge, enthusiasm and calm nature in the years she was a trustee. To be able to nominate her for this award means so much and goes a little way to thank her for her time over the 12 years.

Volunteer Team of the Year

VOLT - Venturing Out CIC

The Volunteer Outdoor Learning Team (VOLT) is operated in partnership with East Lothian Council’s Outdoor Learning Service. This team supports the work of both organisations. Many of the volunteers have specific expertise & qualifications in various activities.

VOLT provides an invaluable support to Venturing Out CIC’s ASN Adventurous Activities Provision and this work is the focus of this nomination. This provision offers regular outdoor activity sessions to children with additional support needs, and their families. Throughout the year, we offer activities such as Water Activities, Bushcraft and Orienteering to families with the aim being that nobody is left on the side. The sessions offer vital family time where everyone can take part together – parents, carers, siblings & grandparents! The sessions aim to support confidence, self esteem and resilience and over the years, we have seen amazing developments in the skills and confidence of the young people attending.

Young Volunteer of the Year

Samantha Windram with Musselburgh Windsor FC

Samantha Windram is the head coach at Musselburgh Windsor U18s Girls team.

At just 21 years old she has taken over the running and management of the girl's team. In her first season she steered the team to winning the First Division League Title, League Cup trophy and the most notably Scottish Challenge Cup (a first for any female East Lothian team). This treble winning season is a club record and creates its own history, remarkably the team were undefeated all season.

Samantha dedicates her time to Musselburgh Windsor Girls along with working for Hibernian Community Boys Club, East Lothian Active Schools, volunteering with the East Lothian Regional Girls squad whilst still at Napier University studying her Masters in Sports Coaching and Development.

After 12 years playing for Musselburgh Windsor Girls and Ladies, she decided to move from playing into coaching in order to 'put something back into the club'.

Sam also spent time in America coaching 6–12-year-olds. She returned to take full control of the 18s side who she guided to the treble. It is so important to have female role models and coaches at the girl's game as she can relate to the girls and they have taken to her style as she makes all her sessions fun, whilst still helping the girls develop their footballing skills and most importantly helping them develop as young adults, learning respect and teamwork.

Lifelong Commitment to Volunteering

Isobel Gardiner with Pencaitland Day Centre

Isobel had been the Chair of the Day Centre for many years and just recently has stood down from this position but still continues to be an active member. Pencaitland Day Centre was established in 1996. They have a group of over 30 people who regularly attend from the age group of 60-94. The main purpose of the group is to improve the quality of life for older people in Pencaitland. For a number of years Isobel has been a hardworking, committed and dedicated volunteer trustee who has worked tirelessly to achieve these aims.

She was not just the Chair of the Day Centre but also the driving force behind its fundraising activities and always looking for ways to get more people involved. Their community Coffee Mornings and raffles, the biggest you have seen were all instigated by her and generated funds for the Day Centre. She also ensured that the activities of the Day Centre supported their members but also the local community such as the local Care Home, Primary School and local businesses.

She understands the importance of bringing people together and has also always ensured that the Day Centre was a safe and inclusive space for people. It was important to her that it tackled social isolation which many people are suffering from post-COVID. Through many of her planned activities she ensured that people attending received practical support whether it be addressing fuel poverty to ways of preventing falls at home or line dancing!