This special evening of celebration is set to take place at Wakefield Cathedral, on Friday, October 1.
This will be the fifth year the Community Foundation honour the outstanding contributions made by volunteers from across the Wakefield District.
They represent a hidden army that, put simply, changes people’s lives on a daily basis within their local communities. These are the people who go that extra mile by running or organising activities or supporting older people and families to make their lives that bit better.
Murray Edwards, foundation director, said: “Following our call for nominations earlier in the year, we were delighted to have a record number of nominations, who came from right across the district and from a huge variety of different areas of activity.
“The panel then had the unenviable task of picking eleven winners. All of the winning nominees are invited to the awards, which are hosted by TV personality Harry Gration, and celebrate their individual achievements through a series of short films.
“But before the awards take place, we would like you to participate in the Peoples’ Choice Award sponsored by the Wakefield Express, and vote for your overall winner.’
David Dinmore, chairman of the Community Foundation’s board of trustees said: “Community activity across the district plays an essential part in the life of this area, and never more so than during the extraordinary times we are living in at the moment.
“This year, more than ever before, we want to recognise the thousands of volunteers who play their part in working with, and in, our local communities, without whom life would not be the same. They never seek the limelight but they deserve to be recognised.”
How to vote
Read through the information given about the 11 nominees and decide who you think is most deserving of the Wakefield Express Peoples’ Choice Award. Then visit the Community Foundation’s website: wakefieldcf.org.uk and cast your vote for your overall winner via the online nomination form.
You can also email your choice, along with your name and address to [email protected] or alternatively, you can fill in the coupon and send it to: Community Foundation Wakefield District, PO Box 695, 13 Upper York Street, Wakefield WF1 9NW.
Details on how to vote will also be posted on social media.
The deadline to vote is noon on Friday, September 24 2021.
1. Louise Menzies - Knottingley Foodbank
Louise Menzies is volunteer warehouse manager at Knottingley Food Bank. She has been volunteering there for four days per week for the last seven years and her commitment is outstanding. She has, due to a lack of volunteers, single handedly run the warehouse, collecting and taking in donations, weighing in/out, date checking and sorting the donations for ease of use. Louise then makes up all food parcels which are sent out to ensure our families can make three meals each day for seven days from its contents. She really is a superstar.
2. Christine Stephenson - Wakefield Street Kitchen
Christine is truly amazing with a massive heart. She does a lot of volunteer work at The Real Junk Food Project as well as Wakefield Street Kitchen. Christine spends countless hours helping both organisations and has previously volunteered at the Wakefield Hospice shop. She is incredibly passionate about helping people in the community and she does all these jobs with a beautiful smile on her face and does not expect anything in return.
3. Karen Stockhill - Stepping Stones Baby Bank
Karen, who is the founder of Stepping Stones Baby Bank, set up this charity during the lockdowns and has been helping struggling families and those escaping violence by making sure they have all of the essentials that they need to look after and support themselves. Her voluntary work is full-time and her home has become a storage facility to house the many donations she manages to acquire. She works closely with local services and goes above and beyond to help a family out.
4. Dave & Joolz Turner - Open Country
Dave and Joolz Turner have been volunteering with disability charity Open Country for three years, dedicating over 2,500 hours to their Wild about Wakefield project. As well as piloting tandems, assisting wheelchair users on outings and guiding people with sight impairments on walks, they have spent the last year befriending Chrissy, a lady with physical disabilities who became isolated due to the pandemic. They took her out for weekly shops, assisted her with household tasks and made sure she still had access to the countryside on regular walks. They are truly dedicated to making a difference in their community.