Community Volunteer Awards finalists announced

The finalists in this year’s Community Volunteer Awards have been announced!

The judging in these community awards, run as a partnership between Blackburn with Darwen Council and Community CVS, took place on Thursday 7 September.

Over 700 nominations were received in total, for awards across 12 categories – more nominations than ever before in the history of the Community Volunteer Awards.

The judging panel that whittled the nominees down to a shortlist of 63 included Deputy Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council Councillor Julie Gunn and Chief Executive Denise Park. They were joined by Julie Moran from Herbert Parkinson, Nicola Clayton from Blackburn College, Graham Parr from East Lancashire Hospice, Jonny Cobbold from Child Action Northwest, Mark Fry from Newsquest, Ian Brown from The Hive, Sharon Lucas from Age UK BwD, Ceri Dixon from PM&M, Isma Sajid from BwD Carers Service, Kay Kareem & Brian Williamson from Accrington Road Community Centre, and interfaith representatives Madhubala Pandya & Joginder Singh Bhamra.

Garth Hodgkinson, Chief Executive of Community CVS, said:

We were absolutely delighted to have received so many wonderful nominations, thank you to every person who took the time to nominate an individual, group or business for an award. Our judging panel had a really tough time choosing the shortlist from such worthy nominations.

We’re really looking forward to coming together with all our shortlisted nominees in King George’s Hall in November, to celebrate their hard work, determination, dedication and the contributions they all make to local life.

Councillor Julie Gunn added:

It really was uplifting to read the stories of so many local people who do some wonderful things to help others. Blackburn with Darwen is extremely fortunate to have lots of fabulous volunteers who give their time freely, and it’s right that they are recognised through awards presentations such as the Community Volunteer Awards.

The shortlist for the 2023 Community Volunteer Awards are:

The Lindsay Dunn Award – Group:

• Phoenix Hub
• Ayup Sultan Trust
• Talk Ourselves Well

 

The Lindsay Dunn Award – Individual:

• Craig Worswick – Red Rose Recovery
• Connie Francis – Project Arise
• Sarah Bernasconi – Maggie’s Still Birth Legacy

 

Culture Leisure & Sporting Life Award – Individual:

• Vicki Davies – The Little Potting Club
• John Clucas – Community First Responder for North West Ambulance Service
• Ann Shuttleworth – Arts2Heal

 

Culture, Leisure & Sporting Life Award – Group:

• Blackburn Pride Committee
• Arts2Heal
• Blackburn Empire Theatre volunteers

 

Environment Award – Individual:

• Vicki Davies
• Janet Pearce
• Roy Parker

 

Environmental Award – Group:

• Whitehall Park Gardening Club
• Blackburn Volunteer Lock Keepers
• Turton Tower Kitchen Garden Group

 

Volunteer of the Year Award:

• Ann Shuttleworth
• Vicki Davies
• Sarah Bernasconi-Parsons

 

Lifetime Achievement Award:

• Vicky McGurk
• Gordon Fairweather
• Jason Walker

 

Young People’s Award – Individual:

• Oscar Johnson
• Conor Lightbown
• Becky Shaw

 

Young People’s Award – Group:

• BwD Parents in Partnership
• St George’s Mill Hill Scout Group
• The Little Potting Club

 

Good Neighbour Award:

• Amina Imam
• Lisa Davies
• Roy Parker

 

Community Involvement Award:

• Community & Business Partners
• BwD Food Bank
• Clifton Arms

 

Renee Black Award:

• Natasha Shah
• ARC Blackburn (Asylum and Refugee Community)
• Whitehall Park Gardening Club

 

Grass Roots Community Action Award – Individual:

• Amina Imam
• Lisa Davies
• Sarah Bernosconi-Parsons

 

Grass Roots Community Action Award – Group:

• Shad Chefs
• Maggie’s Still Birth Legacy
• Clifton Arms

 

Prosperity, Learning & Employment Award – Individual:

• Carole Davies
• Ian Lorimer
• Vicky McGurk

 

Prosperity, Learning & Employment Award – Group:

• Age UK BwD
• BwD Carers Service
• Community & Business Partners

 

Health & Wellbeing Award – Individual:

• Janet Spencer
• Sarah Bernasconi-Parsons
• Simon Donnelly

 

Health & Wellbeing Award – Group:

• Blackburn Food Bank
• BwD Parents in Partnership
• Shad Chefs

 

The Community Volunteer Awards presentation evening will take place in King George’s Hall on Thursday 2 November.