UNSUNG heroes were recognised as the Volunteer Centre Dorset held its 2014 awards evening.
The occasion was held to honour and celebrate the fantastic achievements of the county’s volunteers.
The event was held at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester and sponsored by McCarthy and Stone.
Volunteers from around the country who had been recognised by their peers for their work attended the event with the awards being handed out across four categories.
As well as the Volunteers of the Year, Young Volunteers of the Year and Volunteer Groups of the Year, the night also saw the introduction of a new Chairman’s Award for Community Volunteering, which recognised the important contribution made by the private and public sectors and in particular employee volunteering.
The new award went to Dorchester’s Waitrose store for its community volunteering efforts.
Another 200 people were present on the night with special guests including chief executive of Volunteering England Justin Davis Smith, Lord Lieutenant of Dorset Angus Campbell and local author Kit Berry.
A posthumous award was awarded to Kieron Clewett for his voluntary work at Dorchester and District Amateur Boxing Club. The Thomas Hardye School pupil died at his Dorchester home last summer.
Volunteer Centre Dorset deputy manager Craig Womble said: “Every year we try and make the event as special as we can for the volunteers and without exception this year we feel we achieved this.
“The diversity of the volunteers and the groups they support was particularly inspiring this year as were our three VIP guests all offering support and praise for those who provide so much to communities in Dorset and who do not openly seek such recognition.
“Nationally many have recently been recognised for outstanding contributions to society but without doubt here in Dorset we have some of the best.”
He added: “The evening was kindly sponsored by McCarthy and Stone and included a buffet from the Octagon Café and music performances from acclaimed guitarist Bernardo, as well as local keyboards player Will Sears. “As with all our projects we are indebted to all those that help not only on the night but during the preceding months.
“Many small and larger groups come together from all sectors and contribute to a wonderful evening.
“For this and all the voluntary contribution the centre is extremely grateful.”
Young Volunteers of the year
(under 25)
1. Chloe Treasure: Blandford Museum
2. Ollie Tuck: Blandford Museum
3. Daniel Pascoe: Volunteer Centre Dorset, Community Credit Scheme
4. Colin Stedman: Hope2 Projects
5. Dan Smith: Dorset Reclaim
6. Sol Gilday-Evans: Dorchester & District Amateur Boxing Club
7. Honey Sawyer: Dorset County Museum
8. Gaby Roberts: Not Just Sundaes Café
9. Emma Fagan: Not Just Sundaes Café
10. Kieran Baker: Community Projects, West Dorset District Council
11. Isaac Moore: Future Roots (Whitfield)
12. Dan Milne: Dorset Youth Association
13 Kieron Clewett: Dorchester & District Amateur Boxing Club (Posthumous award)
Volunteer of the Year 2014
1. Christina Kendall: Volunteer Centre Dorset
2. Lisa Dixon: Dorset People First
3. Anne Button: Hope2Bake Project
4. Alan Colderwood: Dorset Blind Association
5. Brenda House: Bere Regis Neighbourhood Car Scheme
6. Emma Laing: Autism Wessex
7. Paul Cosh: Sherborne Douzelage
8. Michael Stamper: Volunteer Centre Dorset
9. John Lefever-Hiscott: Dorset Devon and Cornwall Probation Trust
10. Victoria Davies: Local Food Links
11. Richard Frost: Holton Lee
12. Ann Poynton: Art Garden Café
13. Rosemary Beeny: BAVLAP
14. Posy Clayton: Bus2Go
15. Mark Prince-Wright: Not Just Sundaes Community Café
16. Anthony Morris: Dorset Reclaim
17. Charlotte Skelton: Dorset County Museum
18. David Oswald: Buckland Newton Youth Club
19. Daphne King: District Church Council
20. Terry Hawker: Milton Abbas Parish Council
Volunteer Groups Of the Year
1. Drivers for Christchurch Neighbour Cars
2. Blandford Museum Victorian Garden Club
3. Second Chance Furniture
4. Directions
5. Homestart North Dorset
6. Scope Thorngrove Volunteers
7. Dorchester Strollers
8. Not Just Sundaes Community Café Team
9. Dorset County Museum Maintenance Team
10. South West Dorset Multicultural Network
11. Dorchester Youth Extra
12. Reach Out (Age UK Dorchester)
13. Dorchester Youth Council (pictured below)
14. Volunteers and Service Points for First Dorset Credit Union
15. Friends of Lodmoor Country Park
16. Try This
17. Walking in Their Shoes
18. Friends of Charmouth Library
19. Bus2Go
2014 Chairmans Award For Community Volunteering
Waitrose Dorchester for outstanding contribution to community volunteering 2014
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