News
Monday 11 December 2006
Volunteers take top prizes at national ceremony
Volunteers helped earn a fine success for Nottingham Trent University in this year’s Higher Education Active Community Fund (HEACF) Volunteering Awards. The university won two prizes – including an Exceptional Winner – in this year’s competition, which aims to celebrate the achievements of student and staff volunteers across the country.
The university’s Active in Communities Project won the Volunteering Team of the Year award, while Catherine Bainbridge took home a Student Volunteering Award for her work for the Wheelbase project. The winners received their awards at a high-profile ceremony at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, hosted by TV presenter Philippa Forrester.
The Active in Communities Project, identified as an Exceptional Winner by judges, oversees various teams of volunteers and projects associated with Nottingham Trent University. Catherine helps with Wheelbase, a youth motor project for disadvantaged young people. She is involved in a variety of ways, participating in mechanics, fundraising and providing basic numeracy and literacy training. She has even written a handbook for future volunteers.
Entries were received from universities across the UK, with more than 600 volunteers being nominated by their peers and institutions.
Nottingham Trent University’s Volunteering Project Co-ordinator, Andy Coppins, said: “It is a fantastic achievement for the university to win these two awards. For the Active in Communities Project to be named an Exceptional Winner is a great honour as it confirms the value in the work we do, and the benefits to volunteers and communities alike.”
He added: “Catherine Bainbridge is an extremely valuable volunteer for Wheelbase and has showed excellent commitment and dedication to the charity during her volunteering.”
The awards are funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
Professor David Eastwood, the Chief Executive of HEFCE, said: “These awards enable us to celebrate and commend the volunteers who selflessly provide time and commitment to an array of projects benefiting their local communities. At HEFCE, we will continue to support volunteering by providing funds over the next three years through the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund, and encourage students and staff to continue their good work in this field.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Last year Nottingham Trent University had 550 students volunteering in the community on various projects which equated to 12,274 hours of volunteering. Some 381 of these students volunteered regularly - on course-related and sports projects - and some 169 took part in one-day challenges to ‘blitz’ projects which needed tackling in the community.
The university also had 85 members of staff volunteering on various schemes which include breakfast clubs, right to read, e-mentoring and team challenges.
For more information please contact: Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on Tel: 0115 848 8782, or via email: dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk
or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on Tel: 0115 848 8774, or via email: therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk
