Supporting Voluntary and Community Action
This award is sponsored by The Nudge Group
Brenda has been an enthusiastic and tireless volunteer with HHEAG and FFA for over 17 years. She has given immense time and energy to all her roles; from outreach stall volunteer, to treasurer and chair of both HHEAG and FFA.
Brenda is down-to-earth, conscientious, and has bags of common sense. These traits, in themselves make Brenda special, but when also considered in relation to her commitment as a full-time carer and perseverance through personal health issues, it makes her exceptional.
We believe that having Brenda at the helm ensures our aim, to reduce health and social inequality, is being led by someone rooted in this community and a support and guide for our day-to-day work.
Oh, and by the way, we are sure she won't mind us telling you that she is nearly 80 years old - but with the energy and outlook of someone half her age.
As a Trustee and the Treasurer, Dermot always goes the extra mile. He is regularly involved in all aspects of African Initiatives’ work, from re-structuring financial policies, participating in organisational workshops, to cash collections and appealing for donations. He part-funded his own trip to Tanzania in January 2013 to support partners’ capacity development and to improve his capacity as a trustee. He is highly reliable and devoted to African Initiatives.
In the absence of a Chief Executive in 2013 Dermot again went the extra mile and spent additional time in the office to ensure there was a friendly face to provide direction when needed, putting old and new staff at ease. As a small NGO, African Initiatives does not have a finance manager. Dermot, a retired accountant, comes into the office regularly and takes on this role. He also regularly donates to the charity and training in his continued drive to build the organisation’s finance capacity.
He has brought the trustees and staff closer together as a result of his close engagement with the day-to-day running of the organisation.
This year North Bristol Advice Centre celebrates its 30th birthday - and Joy has been involved with the centre since its launch - it was her vision and commitment to the people of Lockleaze that has made it possible for the advice centre to grow and develop over the years. She has never lost sight of the fact that people living in Lockleaze deserve the same community facilities as other parts of the City and has always stood up and fought for whatever resources were available. Her insight into local community issues and her dedication to providing good quality services for local people is truly amazing. Our chief executive officer, Sally Gapper says: "I have known Joy for 24 years and am still amazed on a daily basis by her energy, commitment and resourcefulness’. Joy is completely committed to the organisation, its staff, volunteers and clients.
Matthew has been a trustee with the SCDA for 13 years; he is always so supportive and is there to support all that the charity does. Matthew is also very pro-active and is an exemplar for other trustees. Matthew was involved in the development of the Good Front Garden awards and has continued to organise those; judging many of the roads himself and stepping in when others let him down. He is also spear-heading the saving of the Southville Methodist Church (Faith Space) for community use, is the main driver for developing the Green Festival in our area to coincide with Bristol being the Green Capital of Europe in 2015 and so much more.....
Richard started the charity changes and brought it to Bristol. He suffers from depression himself. In Ruby Wax's book about Mindfulness, she advocates this kind of group saying, 'if AA can do it why can't we?'.
Changes runs group work meetings 5 days a week. The meetings sustain people with mental health issues through the highs and lows of their situation. It also trains peer facilitators and employs 3 staff.
Richard is now volunteering as Chair, having handed over the organisation to the Admin support team. Please contact the Changes office for more detailed info. Countless members come in and out of this support system. Within the peer groups they are free to discuss and disclose the details of their situation without being judged. It may be the only opportunity in their life where they can do this; talking about: suicide, family breakdown, side effects of drugs, day to day feelings and what ever else.
Twelve Years of Providing Peer Led Mental Health Support Groups in Bristol.
Yuk Jing Li was one of the group’s first clients when it was set up in 1989. Initially joining the group as a member to support its activities, her drive and effort brought her to the attention of the management committee and was elected to sit on its executive board shortly afterwards. She has since held a number of different roles and sat on different sub-committees. Despite becoming a grandmother for the first time last year (with another one on the way), she still finds the time and energy to immerse herself in the group’s activities as its Treasurer, primarily managing the group’s finances, but also chairing a number of sub-committees involved in organising events and activities and interviewing potential recruits among many other things. She does this all the while, holding down a full time job and supporting her family.
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