The vInspired National Awards
The charity's annual awards for young volunteers aged 16 to 25, from 2009, with regional winners, a London ceremony and celebrity hosts and performers.
A programme of the vInspired charity, 2009 onwards. Updated on 13 September 2026
What it was
The vInspired National Awards celebrated young people aged 16 to 25 who had contributed to their communities through volunteering. Nominations were open to the public, winners were chosen by region and category, and the year ended with a ceremony in London. In 2009 there were more than 700 nominations across ten categories from every region in England. The award names in one year were Shout, Spirit, Connect, Fresh, Triumph, Legend and Unite, with an extra award for a teacher; regional awards included a best volunteering group award, won for the South East by Allsorts Youth Project’s Young People’s Voice for its peer educators programme.
What it did
The ceremonies were the charity’s biggest night of the year. The 2009 awards had a video message from the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and performances by Lady Sovereign, Bashy and Tinchy Stryder; Tinchy Stryder later fronted the call for nominations. Gabriella Cilmi launched the 2010 awards and gave the 2009 winners a masterclass. A later ceremony at the IndigO2 had Rock Choir performing with Natasha Bedingfield; Jameela Jamil presented; Eddie Kadi hosted alongside Emma Willis at the BFI IMAX. In 2012 ten young volunteers, chosen from more than ninety applicants, ran the night with the Youth Advisory Board, and the charity nominated its eight 2011 winners to carry the Olympic torch. The 2013 awards at the Camden Roundhouse were streamed with a live Google Hangout with The Saturdays, and the hashtag reached 2.2 million people on Twitter. One winner went on to receive a New Year Honour.
From the archive
- The vInspired National Awards 2009
- Gabriella Cilmi launches the vInspired 2010 National Awards
- Tinchy Stryder calls for nominations for the vInspired National Awards
- vInspired National Awards: a night to remember
- Eddie Kadi returns as host of the vInspired National Awards alongside Emma Willis
- How we made sure the 2012 National Awards were truly powered by young volunteers
- v nominates National Award winners for the Olympic torch relay
- A night to remember: the vInspired National Awards 2013
- New Year Honour for vInspired National Award winner Kirsty
Coverage
- Wikipedia cites the awards in its articles on Jameela Jamil, who presented them, and on Allsorts Youth Project, a regional winner
What happened
The National Awards ended with the charity in November 2018; the last ceremony the archive records is 2013. The awards’ old address, nationalawards.vinspired.com, is still cited, which is why this page exists. If you won a National Award and need to show it, the archive posts above are the public record.
Do this today
Vinspired still recognises volunteering, every day rather than once a year. Verified hours earn certificates at 10, 50 and 100 hours and skill badges, and any organisation can issue them.
See the awards, badges and certificates
Other programmes
All the programmes vInspired ran, and the whole story of Vinspired.