The Hunts Forum Annual Volunteer Awards were back again this year to recognise the amazing achievements and contributions that volunteers make across Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire.
On Thursday, July 14, the Hunts Forum held the first in-person awards ceremony since the pandemic during a warm evening at Hinchingbrooke County Park.
Mrs Julie Spence OBE QPM, HM Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire handed out the awards to the winners and volunteers from across the voluntary sector as they celebrated the ceremony with pizza and drinks.
Tracy Marshall, the marketing and communications manager at the Hunts Forum, said: "In our role as an independent, non-profit making registered charity, we support, strengthen, and encourage voluntary sector organisations based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
"During the evening, we were able to honour and recognise the tireless work of all our wonderful volunteers and thank them for being the lifeblood of our sector."
"This year, we announced three Awards – the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ and the ‘Platinum’ awards, which were both open to Hunts Forum members, and the ‘Rural Volunteer of the Year’ Award, which was open to any community organisations across Cambridgeshire."
Ruth Dube from Cruse Bereavement Support, Hunts Branch, was announced as the first recipient of the Platinum Award for her long service and the vital role she has played for more than 35 years.
The ‘Platinum’ award for voluntary service was a new award this year and is the highest honour attainable for any volunteer.
As the awards celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022 and coincided with the Queens Platinum Jubilee, the platinum award was chosen to celebrate a ‘long and continual’ service to a charitable organisation.
Denise Felstead from the Hemingford Community won the Gold award for the Rural Volunteer of the Year for her tireless support of vulnerable people in her local communities throughout the pandemic.
Wendy Baker, from Dreamdrops Children’s Charity, won the Gold award for Volunteer of the Year for her ‘over and above’ care and empathy she continuously brings to the charity.
Tracy added: "Everyone at Hunts Forum would like to extend our congratulations again to all the gold, silver and bronze winners who were recognised for their time, energy and dedication."
For a complete list of other winners and nominations, visit www.huntsforum.org.uk/news/hunts-forum-volunteer-awards-2022.
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