South West regional winners
Congratulations to our South West regional award winners!
Best new volunteer
Ben Doyle
Ben Doyle started volunteering to help him get into an IT career, but ended up getting much more than a work experience boost. He teaches older people to use computers and the internet to help them feel less isolated.
Ben helps individuals, who are mostly in their 70s and 80s to use the internet to stay connected with friends and family and to access services and products that could make their lives a little easier.
Overall commitment to volunteering
Lisa Cairncross
Despite having a life-limiting health condition, 21-year-old Lisa Cairncross remains as dedicated to volunteering as ever. Lisa has always been community-focused, joining the Girl Guides when she was just 5-years-old. She then went on to join the Brownies and now volunteers as an adult leader of three units.
In the last year Lisa has been diagnosed with Marfan syndrome and swelling on the brain. She is in a great deal of pain, but despite this she still volunteers around 10 hours per week and is dedicated to, as she calls them, ‘her girls’.
Youth worker
Mark Dix
Mark is a youth worker at the Together youth club in Matson, using his carpentry skills to help young people plan and build volunteering projects. He helped them build an arts room to be used by people with learning disabilities in the area.
In addition to practical support, Mark also runs a Saturday sports club to keep the young people off the streets and get them into the fresh air. He also works with the local police to try to build a stronger relationship between them and local young people.
Team
Douglas House
Leanne, Rebecca and Morgan are all volunteers at Douglas House, Devon - a Leonard Cheshire residential home for adults with learning and physical disabilities. Fuelled by a passion to help people, this team of three, all from the same school, attend every Wednesday afternoon and assist with a variety of activities - from helping people with their lunch to sitting and chatting with residents or those who attend for daily respite.
All members of the team would like to study Medicine in the future and feel this is helping them by giving them valuable experience - however their main motivation is to make a difference to people’s lives through volunteering.
Bringing communities together
Andy Hall
Andy Hall, was keen to share his passion for all things green and wanted to use his passion to do something for his community. So in 2009 he set up Peasedown Community Farm for his village, Peasedown St John. It now provides a place where people of all ages and abilities can learn about the environment and animal care, whilst taking an active role in the community.