Day 3 – Volunteers’ Week in Stockport: Good Neighbour and Corporate Volunteer Programme Awards Inclusion Awards
Throughout Volunteers’ Week, we are highlighting some of Stockport’s amazing volunteers whose work and dedication were recognised at the recent Stockport Rocks Volunteer Awards evening.
Wednesday 5th June:
Today we recognise the people who have been highly commended along with the winners of the Good Neighbour and the Corporate Volunteer Programme Awards.
Good Neighbour Award
Winner: Sarah Hardy (pictured above), Offerton Community Kitchen
“Sarah is a true community champion. As the founder of Offerton Community Kitchen, she has worked for more than 8 years to provide affordable food and a safe social space for local residents to come together. This space has led to new friendships, improved mental health and social opportunities for older residents, and new skills for other volunteers in food preparation and health and safety. She is well-known in the area and respected as a community leader…she is seen as one of the most valuable assets that Offerton has, both as an area and a community.”
Daniel Oliver
Highly Commended: David Parkinson, Woodley & Bredbury Neighbours
“David has always been a local good egg, but as we went into lockdown he became instrumental in the formation of our local mutual aid group. 4years on he still encourages other local volunteers to manage our local helpline supporting people who can’t get out for one reason or another. Because of him, our community feels a more connected, happier and more generous place to be.” Nicola Wallace Dean – StartPoint
Highly Commended: Katie Bradburn, Craig Road Residents Association
“Katie has organised 3 events and raised the funds for these by taking football cards around our estate, and making raffle prizes and asked local residents to buy numbers to win the prize. Because she raised so much money, these events were free, we provided free juice and snacks.
“Katie is still raising more money so there will be more free events in the community. Because fo Katie the residents have something to look forward to and because we live in quite a deprived area the free juice and snacks make a big difference to all the families, she really does make a big difference to our community.” Gaynor Bradburn
Posthumous Special Recognition: Anne Holland, Starting Point
“Volunteering for Anne was about people. She was a great friend to our learners and often you’d notice no learning had taken place because Anne was helping them with finding a man with a van to help the learners daughter collect a new bed. It was about problems and being there for people. Anne was very family- orientated and helping people in need was second nature to her.
“We sadly lost Anne late last year. It was incredibly tough for us, and still isn’t easy now but her legacy and impact live on within Starting Point, our learners, and our digital champions every day.” Ryan McMurdo – Starting Point
Corporate Volunteer Programme Award
Winner: Datesand Ltd
“A Stockport based company who actively sought local community initiatives so their CSR days had maximum impact. They seem a very considerate company. They came and helped lay a path at our garden, very diverse team that were ready for a day of outdoor labour.” Kell Degnen – Marbury Road Edible Garden
Highly Commended: Novanta
“Novanta is an organisation based in Stockport and have supported Smart Works Greater Manchester continually over the last couple of years, through both employee engagement and financial support for our charity. Led by HR Manager Michelle Sheridan, Novanta have encouraged and enabled colleague involvement through staff volunteering days on a number of occasions. Volunteers have supported in our centres with wardrobe and office tasks, as well as set-up support for our fundraising pop-up shop..” Claire Goodman – Smart Works Greater Manchester
Highly Commended: Nexperia
“As a Company, we recognise the importance of enabling our employees to have the freedom and flexibility to be able to give back to the community during working hours, which is why our volunteering days are paid time off work. Our dedicated Charity and Community Committee takes time to support our volunteering scheme by sourcing a variety of local volunteering opportunities for employees to participate in. We encourage employees to participate to bring hope, happiness, and help to those in need but we also further recognise that giving back to the local community offers an increased sense of purpose and well-being, boosts confidence and soft skills and improves relationships with colleagues through team volunteering opportunities.
“In 2023, our employees dedicated over 400 working hours to causes that they were personally passionate about – an incredible achievement, all in aid of making a difference. We have had employees volunteer with organisations, Charities, and community projects such as Trussell Trust Foodbank, Wood Street Mission, Walthew House, MacMillan Cancer Support, Dogs4Rescue, Peak District National Park, British Red Cross, local Scout groups and many more.” Christian Jones, HR Director Nexperia UK
