12 November 2008

Yesterday (Tuesday 11 November), voluntary ‘heroes’ from all over the UK were recognised at the Nationwide Community and Heritage Awards at the Tower of London. 

The awards, run by Nationwide Building Society and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), recognise volunteers who dedicate spare time to supporting their local communities and heritage.  Over the last 10 years the awards have celebrated the work of over 13,000 volunteers. 

The ceremony, hosted by BBC News presenter Nicholas Owen, was attended by 147 of the country’s most dedicated volunteers, who were short-listed for the awards.  Eight winners were announced.

Nicholas Owen said: "It's a huge pleasure to have presented these awards and I have been impressed and humbled, in equal measure, by all the nominees' stories.  Volunteering can be great fun but it can also be extremely gritty as well as just plain hard work; today is about recognising and celebrating some inspiring achievements."

The eight winners were:

Winner of the Community Young People’s Award: Stephen Reddie, Liverpool
Stephen, aged 18, is passionate about his community and coaches both community football and athletics.  He gives up to 30 hours a week of his own time, to actively coach and assist youth club members and young people.  Stephen works locally and nationally with counsellors as well as fundraising for various charities. 

Winner of the Heritage Young People’s Award: Corpus Christi Youth Centre, Belfast
This group researched the heritage and culture of a graveyard in West Belfast. The project is now in its second year and the young people are taking tours and teaching their peers about how the people interred in the graveyards have shaped today’s society.

Winner of the Community Group’s Award: Second Nature Life Support, Rotherham
This group has transformed a former sewage treatment works into a beautiful community garden.  The whole area has benefited from this revitalised green space which is bringing people together and helping them have a better understanding of each other’s lives.

Winner of the Heritage Group’s Award: Newquay Rowing Club, Newquay
Newquay Rowing Club provides opportunities for the local community to row traditional pilot gigs, Cornwall’s 18th century equivalent of the speed boat.  The club has maintained the only three surviving gigs in Cornwall for 87 years and club volunteers have just completed a restoration programme on these boats.  These craft, part of the UK’s fascinating maritime heritage, are now ready for use again.

Winner of the Community Individual’s Award: Sudershan Abrol, Birmingham
Sudershan is the driving force behind the UK Asian Women’s Centre.  She set-up the centre 25 years ago and has been involved in a huge range of projects such as supporting women who have experienced domestic violence, counselling, helping with English language skills and working with people who have learning disabilities.

Winner of the Heritage Individual’s Award: Christopher Charlton, Derbyshire
Christopher has been involved for the last 30 years in the rescue of Sir Richard Arkwright’s first cotton mill and other historic sites in the village of Cromford.  Under his leadership, the Arkwright Society bought the derelict Cromford Mill and restored it.  This in turn has provided local young offenders with work experience as well as a hostel for disadvantaged young people.

Winner of the Community Champion Award: James Livingstone-MacCormack, Coventry
Jim has been involved in homelessness projects in Coventry for over 30 years.  He is always willing to offer help and advice and is available on the telephone at all times.  He also co-ordinates an annual Christmas Day dinner.

Winner of the Heritage Hero Award: Don Bearcroft, Abertillery, Wales
Don is a volunteer at Abertillery and District Museum.  Don’s dedication has transformed the former museum, previously a small room in the public library, into a professional community museum in the metropole building in Abertillery town centre.  In addition to this, he looks after the collections, arranges displays and hosts school visits.

Caroline Hallatt, head of corporate responsibility at Nationwide, said: “We are delighted to recognise and reward people who voluntarily give their time and energy to support others.  They are true local heroes who have all shown outstanding dedication to their local communities and are truly an inspiration to others.  They show what can be achieved if you feel passionately about a cause.  Without this dedication, many projects, which help and care for a wide spectrum of society, would find it difficult to survive.  I hope these awards not only act as encouragement for people who are already active volunteers, but also inspire others to join in and make a difference.”

Stephen Boyce, deputy director of operations at the heritage lottery fund, said: "It's hugely important to recognise the contribution that volunteers make to both their local communities and the wider society.  They are particularly valued within the heritage world where without the commitment and enthusiasm of volunteers many projects would never take off.  We teamed up with Nationwide for this year's awards because we wanted to celebrate some wonderful achievements and also encourage even more people, of all ages and backgrounds, to get actively involved with the UK's heritage."

Notes to editors

Photographs of the winners receiving their awards will be available at http://www.nationwide.co.uk/mediacentre/community.asp

Video footage of the awards presentation is available on request.

About the awards

• Organised by Nationwide Building Society and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), in association with Business in the Community (BITC), the Nationwide Community and Heritage Awards are for people who have made a real difference to people’s lives and local heritage through their voluntary work. 
• There are six award categories, three for Community: Young people - under 18, Groups and Individuals and three for Heritage: Young people under 18, Groups and Individuals.
• The Community Awards recognise groups and individuals who put their time and energy into improving the lives of community members.
• The Heritage Awards highlight groups and individuals who volunteer to help their local heritage from village museums to biodiversity programmes, from local cultural traditions to archaeological digs. 
• The three community and three heritage winners were presented with a trophy, £500 of vouchers and a £2,500 donation to a charity or cause of their choice. In addition, a Community Champion and a Heritage Hero were named, recognising those whose achievements have been sustained for a number of years.

The Heritage Lottery Fund

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, HLF invest in every part of the UK’s diverse heritage.

Thousands of individuals, working as guides, researchers, conservators, trustees and educators, have shown huge commitment and given their time to make HLF projects successful.  HLF encourages people to volunteer by funding projects that actively seek to encourage a wider range and more diverse cross section of society to get involved. 

HLF has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4billion across the UK.  Website: www.hlf.org.uk. 

Biography of Nicholas Owen

Nicholas Owen is a presenter with BBC News, appearing on BBC1’s Six O’clock News and News 24. He rejoined the Corporation in March 2007. For well over a decade before that he hosted all ITN's major bulletins, including Channel Four News and News at Ten.