Passionate students and staff from the University of Winchester, who volunteer with organisations and people across the city, have been honoured at a special virtual awards ceremony.
The University of Winchester Volunteering and Community Champion Awards 2021 celebrated the impact made by student and staff volunteers in the local community through their volunteering activities. This has been especially important over the last year during the pandemic, with many more local people needing support and help.
Ten Champions were recognised for their volunteering work in the community. Bethany Joseph, a third-year BA (Hons) Education student, scooped the overall Volunteering and Community Champion Award for her work as head of the RAG (Raising and Giving) Society. Despite the pandemic, Bethany has been in touch with other student societies to help with their fundraising, as well as being a Covid vaccinator herself, volunteering at her local church, befriending the elderly at Age UK and dedicating her time at home to raising awareness on issues she feels passionate about.
Other winners included:
Liz Alcock, Manager of the Winchester Hub, said: “This year University of Winchester students and staff have stepped up to help meet the challenges of the pandemic through their volunteering in the community. All our nominees and winners have been outstanding and worked hard to make a real difference locally. I hope the Awards will encourage other people to sign up to volunteer. Our fantastic nominees' individual stories show how volunteering is mutually beneficial for everyone involved."
Nina Lazarski, University Volunteering Co-ordinator, said: “It has been especially important this year to be able to celebrate through these Awards the commitment, achievements and impact of those students and staff who volunteer. They have shown such dedication to supporting their communities, making a difference locally and in some cases nationally. Their enthusiasm and commitment are inspiring, and we are so proud of them all.”
Social justice is one of the University's core values and students and staff are actively encouraged to volunteer in the local community in which they live and work. Opportunities are available via the University's Employer Supported Volunteering scheme, Winchester Hub and the Careers Volunteering Service.
The University of Winchester Community Volunteering and Community Champion Awards received funding support from a variety of organisations, including Hampshire County Council and Winchester Rotary.
The full list of Volunteering and Community Champions 2021 is:
Volunteering and Community Champion
Bethany Joseph BA (Hons) Education
Awareness Raising Champion
Jess Corkish BA (Hons) Primary Education
Covid-19 Volunteer Champion
Jenny Harris BA (Hons) Event Management
Creative Volunteering Champion
Kate Mardon BA (Hons) Media and Communications
Environmental Volunteering Champion
Charlotte Rogers BA (Hons) Sociology
Hidden Gems Champion
Ceilidh Monaghan BA (Hons) Sociology
Staff Change Agent Champion
Nigel Pook, Groundsperson, and Natasha Redfern, Groundsperson
Staff Community Volunteering Champion
Dawn Keenan, IT Skills Development Officer
Student Change Agent Champion
Rosanna Foster BA (Hons) Creative Writing
Student Community Volunteering Champion
Sanah Bukhari BSc (Hons) Psychology