Nominations for this year’s Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) Volunteer Awards are now open, providing an opportunity for you to celebrate volunteers and the invaluable role they play in communities across Cheshire West.
The Volunteer Awards, which will be held in Chester this December, is a great chance to say thank you to volunteers for all the work they do.
At last year’s Volunteer Awards, CWVA launched the coproduced Vision for Volunteering, helping create a framework for investing time and resources into volunteering, elevating its importance and extending its reach far and wide.
The categories for the Volunteer Awards link to the Vision for Volunteering, as well as some of CWVA’s key areas of work.
There are the following categories for individuals.
- Clare Harrison Award for Social Activism – an inspiring individual who has led a grassroots campaign for positive change or social justice around a particular issue within their community.
- Long Service Volunteer Award – an exceptional individual with 10+ years’ experience of volunteering for their community and/or organisation.
- Young Volunteer of the Year – an individual under the age of 18 who has demonstrated great attitude and initiative to volunteering in their community.
- Grassroots Sport and Physical Activity Champion – a community volunteer who goes above and beyond to break down barriers to accessing physical activity or sport.
- Trustee of the Year – a trustee, voluntary director, or board member who has demonstrated outstanding and extraordinary service to their organisation.
- The Unsung Hero Award – a dedicated and passionate volunteer, often in a less visible role, whose crucial work behind the scenes hasn’t been properly recognised and celebrated.
- Lived Experience Award – a passionate volunteer who has used their own experience and personal journey to make positive changes for those going through similar challenges.
- Mental Health Champion – a volunteer who has displayed extraordinary contribution to a mental health or wellbeing-related project.
- Children, Young People, and Families Champion – a volunteer who has shown extraordinary commitment to supporting children, young people, or families within their community.
There are the following categories for teams.
- Conservation and Environment Award – a team/group of volunteers who have demonstrated great contribution to supporting environment, biodiversity, and conservation within their local community.
- Heritage and History Award – a team/group of amazing volunteers who have shown great passion and enthusiasm for preserving local history, architecture, and heritage.
- The Food Partnership Award – a volunteer-led team/group/organisation who go above and beyond to support their local communities in accessing affordable, healthy, sustainable, and enjoyable food.
Nominations can be submitted by anyone – members of the public or organisations – closing on Tuesday 18 November.
A panel, including representatives from a range of different organisations and sectors, will shortlist individuals or teams in each category to attend the Volunteer Awards.
