The Warwickshire and Solihull Community and Voluntary Action (CAVA) held its volunteer awards celebration on October 3 to recognise the contributions made by both individual and group volunteers in the Warwick and Stratford districts.
And among the winners were a number of familiar names across our towns - Leamington's Simon Storey, of The Bicycle Bus; Anthony Britton who set up The Pam Britton Trust for Dementia; Alec Roberts from Foundry Wood; Richard Gillard of the Friends of Abbey Fields. Among the winning groups were the Leamington parkrun, Prince's Trust Team Leamington Spa Warwickshire College Group; Welcome Here Leamington and Warwick; Entrust Care Partnership.
The event was held in the Old Shire Hall Ballroom at Warwickshire County Council in Warwick and sponsored by Warwickshire County Council, Warwick District Council Silvertime Legal Services Ltd, Associated Telecom, LinkIT Advanced Solutions, Mid-Counties Cooperative, Sharp and WCAVA.
The categories and commended were as follows:
1. Health and Wellbeing Award - sponsored by LinkIT Advanced Solutions
The nominees for the individual awards were Vanessa Compton, Anthony Britton, Sharron Houlton, Yvonne Wiggins and Jane Bourton. The winner was Anthony Britton, of the The Pam Britton Trust for Dementia, and highly commended was Vanessa Compton. Pictured are Anthony Britton and Karl Rotherham (from LinkIT Advanced Solutions). Photo: Owen Jones
2. Sport and Leisure individual award, presented by WCAVA and Associated Telecom
The nominees for the individual awards were Alan Ford, Tom Abbott, Mark Morrey and Simon Storey. The winner of this category was Simon Storey of The Bicycle Bus, and highly commended was Mark Morrey. Pictured is Simon Storey with Clare Spiers (CAVA trustees). Photo: Owen Jones
3. Community Impact Award, sponsored by Warwick District Council
The nominees for group for the Community Impact Award were: Repair Cafe, Girl Guiding Southam and District, Bidford Community Library, Helping Hands, Warwickshire Vision Support, Warwickshire Search and Rescue, Citizens Advice South Warwickshire, Welcome Here Leamington and Warwick, WRCC Back and 4th Community Transport, Warwick Memory Singers Volunteers, Entrust Care Partnership, Sydni Centre Group Leaders, Girl Guiding Whitnash and Leamington South District, Stratford Upon Avon Food Bank and The Polish Centre. The winner of this category was Welcome Here Leamington and Warwick. Pictured are Welcome Here Leamington and Warwick with Bernadette Allen (Warwick District Council). Photo: Owen Jones
4. Arts, Culture and Heritage Indivdual Award, sponsored by Silvertime Legal Services Ltd
The nominees for the individual awards were Paul Mitchell, Mereta Brown, Stella Burton and Sarah Brunsdon. The winners of this category were Stella Burton and Sarah Brunsdon, Escape Arts. Pictured are Stella Burton and Sarah Brunsdon, Escape Arts with Ben Gilbert (Silvertime Legal Services Ltd). Photo: Owen Jones