An awards event to celebrate the people who volunteer in the community was held at the University of Reading last week [Thursday 7 May].
More than 150 University staff, students, alumni, supporters and community partners attended the Celebration of Volunteering awards, which showcased the many ways members of the University community are making a difference in society, both locally and globally.
Now in its fourth year, the awards received 117 nominations, the highest to date.
Among the winners was Law student Charlotte Smith, who volunteers with the 1st Earley Guides. Charlotte has given her time, enthusiasm and skills as a volunteer with Girlguiding for around seven years and has completed both the young leader qualification and the adult leadership qualification.
Business & Management student Kerry Gunu also picked up an award for his fundraising and support for Awutu Winton Senior High School in Ghana. Kerry travelled to Ghana last summer and volunteered for several weeks, teaching Economics and Politics to over 150 students, supporting evening revision sessions, mentoring pupils and assisting with extracurricular activities including football and athletics.
Winners of the Alumni and Supporters’ Volunteer of the Year category included people who have mentored students, supported girls’ education in South Sudan and helped develop the Centenary Heritage tours.
University staff who have helped people experiencing homelessness, advocated for adoptive parents and special guardians, and championed inclusion across the community were also recognised.
A century of service
A new Centenary Long Service Award was introduced to mark 100 years since the University received its Royal Charter, with 60 people who have volunteered for five years or more given a certificate of thanks.
Fittingly for the centenary year, this includes a team of eight volunteers from the Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL), who between them have clocked up a combined 100 years of volunteering in the community. Together they have volunteered almost 14,000 hours at The MERL, supporting the archive collections, contributing to the museum collections and welcoming visitors to the museum.
Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Reading, said:Â “Volunteering is part of the fabric of our University. This year’s nominees and winners show the remarkable range of ways our staff, students and supporters are giving their time, whether that’s mentoring a young person, teaching students in Ghana or welcoming visitors to The MERL.
“As we mark 100 years since the University received its Royal Charter, it feels especially fitting to celebrate the hundreds of years of service this community has quietly given, and continues to give.”
Full list of winners
Alumni & Supporters’ Volunteer of the Year
- Darren Staniforth: for mentoring students through Thrive
- Jean Hartley, Founding Trustee and Vice Chair of Friends of Ibba Girls School: for supporting girls’ education in South Sudan
- Ian Burn, John Grainger & Terry Dixon, Friends of the University and Member of the Community Engagement Steering Group: for developing the Centenary Heritage Tours
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Volunteer of the Year
- Youngs Nyirenda (alum): for youth education and sustainable farming initiatives
- David Hallam (posthumous, previous staff member): for advocacy on hidden disabilities
Reading Students’ Union Activist of the Year
- Kevin Gannaway, Geography and Environmental Science student: for conservation work at Fobney Marsh
Staff Volunteer of the Year
- Stéphanie Mitchell, Research Fellow: for national advocacy supporting adoptive families
- Katie Sampeck, Global Professor in Historical Archaeology: for community volunteering and supporting local homelessness services
Student Volunteer of the Year
- Charlotte Smith, Law student: for long‑term service with Girlguiding
- Kerry Gunu, Business & Management student: for teaching and mentoring students in Ghana
The stories of all the winners and shortlisted nominees can be read on the Celebration of Volunteering website.
