Devon Community Foundation honours Volunteers

Asfords LLP supported the Helping Young People category

Asfords LLP supported the Helping Young People category

Date added: Monday 25th October 2010
Latest updated: Wednesday 11th April 2012

Over 140 guests gathered at Exeter Castle on 21st October to celebrate the achievements of volunteers from across Devon at the second annual ‘Volunteer of the Year' awards staged by local charity, Devon Community.

Eric Dancer, HM Lord Lieutenant of Devon and president of Devon Community Foundation presented the awards, and short DVDs of the winning volunteers in action, made by Will Halfacree with support from Two Four Group, were shown. Ashfords LLP sponsored the ‘Helping Young People' award.

Martha Wilkinson, Chief Executive of Devon Community Foundation explains, "The ‘Big Society' is not a new concept, it's already happening on the ground with the thousands of volunteers who give up their time for free each and every day to help others in Devon. We wanted to honour and recognise these volunteers and to show how with our support, they can continue to do this vital work."

Winners were chosen from some 660 groups supported over the last few years with grants from Devon Community Foundation and included the following:

SHARON HAWKINS - Helping People with Disabilities: Coach and chairperson, Sharon Hawkins for her volunteering work with Exeter based Devon Racqueteers Wheelchair Badminton Club. Sharon has helped to build the club into the largest Wheelchair badminton club in the UK, coached 5 players to represent England at the 4 Nations Disability Championships and helped players to achieve 10 gold and silver medals in national competitions. The Club is open to wheelchair users of all abilities and has been supported with a £3,900 grant from the Foundation to buy two new specialist wheelchairs.

DAVID FEINDOUNO - Young Volunteer of the Year: David Feindouno for setting up Plymouth Hope Football Club which is designed to bring people from all cultures together in Plymouth, to break down barriers and to challenge popular misconceptions about asylum seekers and refugees through coming together to play football. A £1,000 grant from the Foundation helped to buy equipment and train a mini-bus driver for the club. The club now has members from over 20 different countries, including local people from the City.

CAROL BENN - Helping Young People sponsored by Ashfords LLP: Carol Benn, Chairman of Kids Who Care, Unite Mid Devon Carers for her work over the last 7 years supporting young carers in Mid Devon, fundraising, securing a new office for the group and helping to secure money to train mentors for the young people. There are approximately 7,000 young carers in Devon. The average age is 12 and they will have spent 4 years caring before they get any support. 56% of young carers live in a single parent household. A recent grant of £4,000 from the Foundation helped to pay rent on the office for the Kids who Care project.

PAUL TREGUNNA AND ANDREW DAVIES - Helping People with Different Needs: Paul Tregunna from Plymouth Foodbank and Andrew Davies from the Oasis Project (joint winners). Despite suffering from schizophrenia and depression himself, Andrew uses his catering skills to teach cooking to others with mental health problems, adults with learning difficulties and children, as well as cooking for a weekly lunch club. He encourages those who come to the class to focus on what they can do. Paul had a liver transplant two years ago due to severe alcohol addiction. He wanted to give something back to the local community so now helps to run the Plymouth Foodbank, supporting others suffering addiction who might use the Foodbank in their own recovery. Last year Plymouth Foodbank supplied over 2,000 individuals in crisis with short term food supplies. 643 of these were children. A recent grant of £1,480 from the Foundation helped set up the cookery class project at the Oasis Project.

The evening was rounded off with a prize auction hosted by local autioneer, Robin Barlow with prizes kindly donated by the following: Burts Potato Chips, Antonia's Kitchen, Exeter Chiefs, The Cary Arms, Devon Life, Exeter Golf and Country Club, Lympstone Marine Base, Rob Doughton and Dartmoor Zoo.

Our thanks to everyone who attended and supported the event.

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