Fourth annual Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway Volunteer Awards across the region for Volunteers Week (June 1-7)
Young people will be at the heart of awards ceremonies hosted by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway next week to honour the region’s volunteers.
This year’s volunteer awards – the VOSCARS – will celebrate Scotland’s Year of Young People with several new categories for 12 to 25-year-olds.
Also, for the first time this year, separate awards events will be held in Annandale & Eskdale, Nithsdale, Stewartry and Wigtownshire during Volunteers Week, leading up to the ‘grand final’ at the new Baptist Church Centre in Dumfries on the evening of Thursday, June 7.
Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway’s Chief Executive Norma Austin Hart said: “People often think of a typical volunteer as someone older but we are so lucky in this region to have an army of young people volunteering in a huge variety of different roles.
“The 2018 Year of Young People gives us the perfect opportunity to celebrate their achievements and honour their hard work.”
More than 200 nominations have been received for fourteen categories including, new this year exclusively for young people, Young Community Champion, Young Board Member, New Young Volunteer and Participation in Culture or Sport.
New categories for adults and organisations have also been introduced for this year’s VOSCARS including Community Spirit, Culture & Heritage and Health, Wellbeing & Sport.
A panel of judges had the task of choosing category winners as well as overall Young Volunteer of the Year, Adult Volunteer of the Year and Volunteer Involving Organisation of the Year.
Following feedback from previous years, area awards events have been introduced to help showcase the good work of even more individuals, groups and projects closer to their own communities.
The winners of each category from the events in Annandale & Eskdale, Nithsdale, Stewartry and Wigtownshire, will go forward for the final in Dumfries.
Guest speaker for the VOSCARS grand final is Councillor Adam Wilson, Young People’s Champion. The event will be opened by Norma Austin Hart and a closing address will be made by Chair of Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway Sue Irving.
Representatives from each of the category sponsors will be invited to present their award.
Norma said: “We believe that over a quarter of adults living in Dumfries and Galloway are involved in some form of volunteering. We recognise the major contribution that volunteers make to the economy and services for disadvantaged communities particularly in rural areas. We look forward to the VOSCARS every year because it gives us the chance to thank these volunteers and to share so many wonderful, heart warming stories.”
Visit the website www.thirdsectordumgal.org.uk for more information.
