Celebration of Volunteering

Nominees:

• Choose a Challenge
• Hedgehog Friendly Campus
• Once A Month Reading
• Reading University Hockey Club
• Spark Newspaper
• Wateraid – Abbey Doncaster
• Women's Football Club 

Choose a Challenge

Choose a Challenge has worked with RUSU for the last 7 years to run and facilitate rag events. We have taken thousands of students all over the world to take on life changing challenges and raise hundreds of thousands for charity. This year with a lack of RAG committee members was a struggle at times. However, we still successfully set up three challenges in aid the Meningitis Research Foundation and Restless Development to recruit 18 students. We are predicted to raise £23,590 since September 2023 alone, under the RUSU and RAG banner.

Hedgehog Friendly Campus

Hedgehog Friendly Campus have been such a dedicated and enthusiastic committee this year and have really grown their presence on campus. They have the biggest membership of SU volunteering groups and have built great relationships with students and staff across campus. They hosted a campus litter pick during the University's Green Week and it had the biggest turnout of a litter pick this year. The committee frequently give up their time to host events, raise awareness and look after the hogs on campus and have championed as many sustainability-related campaigns as they could, including the UoR Climate Cafes, Our Beautiful Wild Project and have completed various projects across campus to make it safer for wildlife. The group have also hosted such a wide variety of activities from nocturnal wildlife walks, craft sessions and quizzes to educational evenings and their own Nature Night with the zoology and Bird societies. They have established such a great reputation in such a short time, all through their hard work and passion for the cause and it should be commended.

Once a Month

Once a Month was started in 2022 and has quickly grown into a well-known society in the two years that it has been running. In the first year, 199 bags filled with sanitary products and another 400 pounds worth of products were donated. This year, they’ve achieved so much and have really led the way in terms of fundraising and giving back to the local community, raising over £400 at one clothes sale alone. They've grown their reach massively and have become a group that numerous other clubs and societies are always quick to support, with Women's football hosting a charity match and Arts and Crafts hosting joint sessions. They have advocated tirelessly to address period poverty and have championed and supported as many related events and campaigns as possible, turning out their group to the Reclaim the Night March and making sure they're involved in Women's History Month activities. The charities they've supported at so grateful for their fundraising.

Reading University Hockey Club

Reading University Hockey Club have done an outstanding job fundraising this year. To start the year, they led the way supporting Movember, raising £5224 for charity - the most they've ever raised as a club. In addition to the moustache growing, the ladies also ran over 1.5km in support. They've also just hosted their Peter Jenkins Memorial and Alumni Day remembering former student, and player, Peter Jenkins who sadly passed away in December 2022. This is the second year they've played the charity match, last year raising over £1000 for Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Support Our Paras (charities picked by the family). This year they've raised another £750, taking their fundraising total for this academic year to £6000. 

Spark Newspaper

The Spark Committee have worked so hard this year to reignite engagement in the student newspaper this year and have really brought their presence back to campus. They've achieved so much in the space of a year, now having a full online presence with a whole range of contributors writing about topics that matter to them - there really is something for everyone. Isaac, in particular, has played such a pivotal role in re-establishing the Spark, building the committee and creating a buzz at Freshers Fairs and working with university departments, all to cement the Spark's place within campus media.

Wateraid – Abbey Doncaster

Abbey began her role as WaterAid Ambassador at the start of the year, and has not only grown a team of fellow ambassadors around her but together, they've raised the profile of WaterAid amongst students. They've attended as many events as possible, including Freshers Fairs and Green Week and also hosted a fantastic bingo event to recognise World Toilet Day raising over £100 for WaterAid. They've worked hard to create a presence on campus despite various barriers and should be proud of what they've achieved.

Women's Football Club 

Women's Football have gone above and beyond in supporting local charities and raising awareness this year. They've participated in at least three charity football matches raising money for White Ribbon Day, Royal Berks Charity and Once a Month and will never say no to an opportunity to be involved - even when the match is scheduled for late November in near minus temperatures! They raised over £270 from two matches alone and their willingness to support SU fundraising activity is invaluable. Gabriella, in particular, has helped foster a really positive attitude towards community engagement within the team which is hugely appreciated by the charities they've supported.

Nominees:

• Abigail Karkoska
• Aiden Dingle
• Alba Key
• Alex Jackson
• Chui Yan Jovianne Yip
• Daisy Katsoka
• Dhruvi Joshi
• Ehpraim Banda
• Helena Thornton
• Josmi Saji
• Libby Jones
• Lola Hill
• Marina Alemany
• Muhammad Abbas Khan
• Raheem Olatunji
• Rosa Lockwood-Davies 
• Sahra Faqi
• Thea Metila
• Thomas Hudson
• Veronica Ngoma Tsimba
• Vicky (Jummy) Horwell

Abigail Karkoska

Abigail has been part of the scouting community for over 10 years supporting not only the Phoenix Cubs back at home in Stowmarket when not at UoR but also here in Reading every Monday alongside her studies. She has joined 73rd Reading Cubs, volunteering alongside her mathematics degree for past 18 months. She runs exciting and varied events each week with her cubs, engaging local young people to develop new skills and experiences. Always putting the young people first, she is often creative in planning her activities, a recent example is when the United Reformed Church's heating failed and rather than cancel that nights event, she created a whole evening of movement to ensure the cubs kept warm whilst continuing to gain new skills. At present she is working towards her wood badge, signifying the completion of her Leader training.

Aiden Dingle

Throughout Autumn Term, Aiden was a regular dedicated volunteer at the University of Reading Herbarium. Not only was he happy to turn his hand to any task, from indexing and inventory, to box organisation, to working with the historic Perceval Wheats Collection for the conservation of these specimens and boxes, but Aiden also collaborated with other volunteers and was a reliable presence in the herbarium.

Having Aiden as a hardworking volunteer made my personal switch from volunteer to employee that much easier and less stressful. This kept the herbarium, a prized and important resource for the University, running smoothly and in an orderly fashion. He went above and beyond in contributing time, energy, and ideas to the herbarium through a wide variety of tasks, all while maintaining good humour and great adaptability.

Alba Key

Alba is a volunteer STaR mentor, a current student who supports new students transition into university. During Alba's time as a STaR mentor I have seen them grow in confidence and become a wonderful role model for their peers. Alba not only provided great support to their mentees but they also provided peer support to their fellow mentors. In addition, Alba also spoke at our popular underrepresented group sessions during Welcome (week) providing such valuable feedback to new students about their time as a current student and how they have managed and overcome various hurdles.  Alba is an example of how important volunteering can be to gain confidence in your abilities to take that next step and I am so happy to see Alba flourish.

“Alba is a credit to our learning community and goes above and beyond in support of their peers, not just in the STaR mentoring role but in many other ways”.

Alex Jackson

Alex Jackson is a standout nominee for their exceptional dedication to volunteering, making a significant impact in our community. Their commitment to service extends far beyond mere participation, demonstrating a genuine passion for making a difference. Alex's volunteering efforts are marked by their consistent involvement in various initiatives, from organizing local charity events to actively participating in community clean-up drives. Their willingness to roll up their sleeves and get involved in hands-on projects showcases their proactive approach to addressing societal needs.

Chui Yan Jovianne Yip

Jovianne, as President of the Hong Kong Society at the University of Reading in 2023, demonstrated exceptional dedication to volunteering during the summer break. She and her team actively supported multiple recruitment events in Hong Kong. Their efforts were not limited to mere participation; they actively contributed to the event planning process, going above and beyond by identifying and securing a suitable venue for hosting an offer-holder event. This initiative showcased their dedication to ensuring the success of these crucial events, which are integral to our university's outreach and prospective student engagement.

What distinguishes Jovianne and her team's volunteering efforts is their willingness to go the extra mile during a time when most students are on holiday. Their dedication and proactive involvement have not only elevated the quality of our recruitment events but have also fostered a strong connection between the university and prospective students in Hong Kong. Their passion for our institution, demonstrated through their voluntary contributions, undoubtedly enhances the overall experience for those considering joining the University of Reading. Jovianne's exemplary leadership and the exceptional efforts of the Hong Kong Society deserve recognition for their outstanding impact on our university community.

Daisy Katsoka

Daisy has demonstrated immense support in ensuring and encourage other students help while they need it. She has been someone who volunteers in proactive efforts to support others on equality and support advocacy. 

Dhruvi Joshi

Dhruvi volunteers at her local community’s advice centre, providing advice to clients living in the borough on matters such as housing, family, immigration, debt and benefits. Dhruvi goes above and beyond by analysing and understanding each case thoroughly and by providing numerous different approaches to the client’s problem to help them decide the best course of action. 

Ehpraim Banda

Ehpraim created a group to support positive collaboration and discussion on development practices. He supports students and fellow alumni in their careers. 

Helena Thornton

Heli is an outstanding President of and volunteer for Once A Month Reading, a charity that supplies local people with period and hygiene products when they may not be able to source them easily. Heli is always reaching for high targets, not afraid of the extra work for herself and would take on any extra work other committee members were not able to fulfil. She motivated the team to reach for more at the same time as instructing people to take a break from their responsibilities if she could tell that they were tired or had other commitments.
Heli is determined to make a difference for the local people in Reading affected by period poverty. At one of their clothes sales alone, they raised £426, all going towards tackling period poverty locally. She strives to make Once a Month a better volunteering group, growing the membership, making sure they're visible as a group, and supporting as many related events and causes as possible. She was a great supporter of White Ribbon Week (despite having lots of other commitments and issues to juggle), helping organise a meeting point at the bus stop so those going to the Reclaim the Night March from campus didn't have to go alone. Her passion for the cause is infectious; she fiercely champions women's rights and has really made a positive difference to OAM this year.

Josmi Saji

Josmi has been an integral part of our homeless night shelter for refugees community project in Reading town centre. With very little training and only a week until the commencement of the shelter, Josmi joined our small leadership team, made up primarily of directors of charities and very experienced night shelter managers. 

She has integrated seamlessly, and she has been independent and intuitive, as well as a very supportive member of the team. Josmi's contribution to this project has been at a level and experience far beyond what she initially signed up for. It has been acknowledged by the rest of the leadership team - all of whom fully support this nomination and hope to see that her otherwise unsung efforts are recognised. Her unfaltering commitment to support her community has been an essential component to the success of the shelter. The young, homeless refugees that benefit from this service are among the most vulnerable of our community and we are all incredibly thankful for Josmi's support.

Libby Jones

Libby has been an outstanding volunteer! After joining us on a charity Three Peaks challenge. Libby decided to step up into a leadership role to recruit a new team for a bigger challenge. 
She attended all training sessions, got involved with campus promotions and now regularly runs group fundraisers and training workshops for her team. The team should fundraise a minimum of £5,960 for the Meningitis Research Foundation. 

We are grateful for her passion, enthusiasm, dedication and mind set to continue volunteering alongside her studies. 

Lola Hill

Lola runs the Biosciences Society, is part of the Athletics society committee, is a really amazing course rep and helps students in every way she can. She will also be senior rep next year. 

She helped organise various drop ins by creating the promotional materials which allowed students to destress and unwind. This personally helped me to feel like I belong more within the community. Currently she is helping to organise a larger scale Women in STEM event in the school to help empower and inspire students. 

Along all her volunteer work she is an incredible and supportive person who always makes sure everyone feels welcomed.

Marina Alemany

Marina is the welfare officer and rep coordinator of Once A Month. The society organises a group of around 30 reps who are willing to help at events, bake for cake sales, promote the society on social media and so on. Marina is coordinating these thirty students and has successfully engaged them in the events this year. One student recently described OAM as the most wholesome society of the University of Reading, and I believe that this is down to Marina's engagement with the Reps. The cause of period poverty is the main motivation for OAM but alongside, it has brought together a safe space for students and Marina is incredibly approachable and ensures that the work of all the Reps is acknowledged. She also helped with all other responsibilities and was the president's right hand the past year. She was present at every event, helped with any little task that had to be completed and always kept a positive and motivated attitude towards the cause and the community of OAM. 

Muhammad Abbas Khan

Muhammad has been STaR Mentor at Reading for the past two years, during which he’s mentored over 25 students each year.

In his capacity as a STaR Mentor, Muhammad has helped them in a variety of ways, from small things as finding where the lecture hall is to guiding them through all the opportunities Reading University has for them. He strive to empower them with the right skills and opportunities, for example by assisting them in completing the RED Award, with its emphasis on extra-curricular activities. Not only does he support new students but also helps with recruiting and inspiring others to become STaR Mentors by being a Star Mentor Volunteer during volunteering week.

Raheem Olatunji

Raheem was PGR Officer in the Students’ Union, and always supported students. He encouraged students to be outspoken and inclusive in the Students’ Union as part of this role. 

Rosa Lockwood-Davies

Rosa is the chief admin and co-ordinator for the Department of Languages and Cultures' year abroad social media project. This project aims to use various social media platforms to inform students of various year abroad requirements and tips which has become more important now than ever following Brexit. Rosa manages, plans and publishes content on the main Instagram page whilst supporting the other admins for the individual language strands. Rosa is a great team leader and she provides plenty of guidance and support for all admins. Each week, Rosa gives us a content theme such as visa requirements or how to make friends abroad. She provides plenty of ideas and suggestions for posts. She is conscientious and ensures that everyone is able to manage this alongside their degree. For example, she gives us plenty of notice for when something needs to be published and we know that we can contact her if we're stuck or she can put us in touch with someone who knows how to solve our queries. Without Rosa, this project wouldn't be a success. As a department we have found that students greatly appreciate advice from final year students as they have 1st hand year abroad experiences. This project allows students from all year groups to easily contact each other despite their busy schedules.

Sahra Faqi

Sahra volunteered at a Cancer Research charity shop where she served customers at the till and organised clothes and other items. She also took part in STAR Mentoring where she had 25 mentees and answered questions about university life and their course. Additionally, she was a Media and Marketing Coordinator for the RAG Committee and helped organise events to raise money for charity, and volunteered for Student in Schools where she supported reading for 30 students in Year 5. 

She has been a Young Leader for The Brokerage for 2 years where she advised corporate firms on their business issues such as DEI and ESG, as well as how to recruit young people that come from underrepresented backgrounds. She has also supported a masterclass where she gave application tips to students. In addition, she is producing a series of podcasts exploring current affairs and the key issues affecting disadvantaged students. Moreover, she is mentoring a new Young Leader by training them in public speaking, personal branding, effecting impactful change, fostering DEI, and embracing corporate responsibility. Her mentee mentioned after their first session that she built the fire in her again. 

She is a Blog Writer for FirstGens where she has written student life content as a first-generation university student on '5 Programmes for First-Generation Students in Their First Year' and 'Top 3 Tips on Finding, Getting, and Using a Marketing Internship'. The FirstGens team and Sahra have been featured on BBC News' website for supporting students from across 25 universities. She has supported her FirstGens team by handing out flyers at universities to promote their new programme. 

Thea Metila

Thea has been instrumental in her role leading University of Monsters this year. She's worked tirelessly to ensure that the class are engaged, learning and having fun and they always look forward to seeing her at the visit days. It's clear she has a great understanding of what will best engage the students and she's built great relationships with the staff and students by being so welcoming and approachable. She's also managed to engage such a wide variety of other clubs and societies, putting on a wide variety of taster sessions for the students and has been a great inspiration for fellow students volunteering with the project to the point where they'd like to join the committee next year. It has been a pleasure working with Thea this year.

Thomas Hudson

Throughout his time at university, Thomas has demonstrated an impressive level of dedication to student representation. This year, in his second term as Undergraduate Senior Rep for Henley Business School, he ran the UK Business School Representative Conference, bringing together 30 student representatives from Business Schools across the UK to pool their knowledge. This gave the reps evidenced examples from other Business Schools that they could bring to meetings with academic staff and gave them a wider perspective of the sector. In addition to the hours of work that Thomas put into the conference, he also set up the Accounting Society this year. 

Veronica Ngoma Tsimba

As Women's Officer this year, Veronica has done a fantastic job representing students. Speaking at multiple events to advocate for women's safety, she played an integral part in the success of White Ribbon Week, and in lobbying Thames Valley Police to work with us, sharing important testimony in front of an audience of over 150 people. She's worked closely with the Welfare Officer this year and has supported lots of SU projects this year, championing students and women's rights.

Vicky (Jummy) Horwell

The reason for nomination is that Jummy has been supportive as a student. She has volunteered at the Students’ Union in various extra-curricular activities. She has also engaged in equality for women talks showing full support and her commitment towards women and their rights. 

Nominees:

• Alfie Heasmer-Jones
• Delina Teweldemedhin
• Ellie Francis
• Isabella Harrington
• Jada Ladega
• Jana Elquesny
• Keith Weddell
• Lina Cherifi
• Luci Hornsby
• Maria Madhu Jacob
• Mindy Cheng

Alfie Heasmer-Jones

Alfie has been volunteering in my class for almost 2 years now. The children and I look forward to seeing her every week. She is bright, fun and values every child as an individual She is professional, always goes above and beyond - she will often come in and support at other times during the week should I need more help. She is proactive, knows our school routines and instinctively knows what needs doing. She has contributed to lesson and task design. If we are focusing on a particular theme, Alfie will share her own knowledge and experiences, enhancing the children's learning. 

She has great relationships with the children and I know they enjoy having her around. She is supportive of the children and their learning and wants to see them succeed. She very quickly got to know their personalities and the best approach to help them fulfil their potential. She also has good relationships with the wider staff group.

Alfie has volunteered on school trips and will often stay after school to help me with any preparation for the next day.

Alfie is amazing – nothing is too much trouble and I really value her support. 

Delina Teweldemedhin

Along with two other students Delina volunteered to take part in a BAME mentoring programme at The Bulmershe School. This was to support a group of year 10 children of Afro-Caribbean heritage who had low attainment levels and low aspirations. The aims of this programme were to inspire and motivate the children by sharing the challenges that our volunteers had faced as people of black heritage in their journey to University and in everyday life; to empower them with the self-belief that they can achieve their goals; to support and motivate them to aim high and to encourage and reinforce cultural values.  

In addition to supporting these children during maths lessons, they also ran a series of  very inspiring mentoring sessions that involved lots of research, discussion, debate and presentation. A lot of time and thought were spent in preparing these sessions and they were very  successful in inspiring and raising the aspirations of these girls to want to achieve and go to university in future. They have  now offered to come and support in  mentoring a group of year 10 boys as well.

Ellie Francis

Ellie is helping to support a  year 3 class at Meadow Park Academy.  This is a class with 13 SEN,12 Pupil Premium and 11 EAL children,  This is way above the national average so represents a real challenge to any volunteer.  She has already significantly exceeded the requirements of the Students in Schools scheme and is still attending regularly. 

Ellie has been fantastic, she gets stuck in every week with whatever we are doing.   She will always use her initiative and will help the children wherever needed and help sort out any problems.  She has been amazing and has made a real impact in the classroom.

Isabella Harrington

Isabella has been volunteering at Coley Primary School where she has so far made over 15 visits and spent 38 hours helping children in a year 2 class. She has exemplified an outstanding work ethic and demonstrated genuine concern for the students in our class, prioritising not only their academic progress but also their overall well-being. 

She cultivated strong rapport with both students and colleagues, fostering a supportive learning environment. Isabella adeptly assisted children with their reading, offering insightful feedback to enhance their skills. She effectively facilitated writing groups under the teacher's guidance, encouraging students to utilise strategies such as phonic mats to produce high-quality written work. Moreover, during mathematics lessons, Isabella provided invaluable assistance, employing concrete resources and visual aids to help students comprehend concepts, formulate answers, and articulate their reasoning effectively. Her dedication and contributions significantly enriched the learning experience for all involved.

Furthermore, Isabella consistently demonstrated her readiness to assist with various tasks within the classroom setting. Her exceptional helpfulness, paired with her radiant smile and engaging personality, was a real asset in the classroom. 

Jada Ladega

Along with two other students Jada volunteered to take part in a BAME mentoring programme at The Bulmershe School. This was to support a group of year 10 children of Afro-Caribbean heritage who had low attainment levels and low aspirations.  

The aims of this programme were to inspire and motivate the children by sharing the challenges that our volunteers had faced as people of black heritage in their journey to University and in everyday life; to empower them with the self-belief that they can achieve their goals; to support and motivate them to aim high and to encourage and reinforce cultural values.  

In addition to supporting these children during maths lessons, they also ran a series of  very inspiring mentoring sessions that involved lots of research, discussion, debate and presentation. A lot of time and thought were spent in preparing these sessions and  they were very  successful in inspiring and raising the aspirations of these girls to want to achieve and go to university in future. They have  now offered to come and support in  mentoring a group of year 10 boys as well.

Jana Elquesny

Along with two other students Jada volunteered to take part in a BAME mentoring programme at The Bulmershe School. This was to support a group of year 10 children of Afro-Caribbean heritage who had low attainment levels and low aspirations.  

The aims of this programme were to inspire and motivate the children by sharing the challenges that our volunteers had faced as people of black heritage in their journey to University and in everyday life; to empower them with the self-belief that they can achieve their goals; to support and motivate them to aim high and to encourage and reinforce cultural values.  

In addition to supporting these children during maths lessons, they also ran a series of  very inspiring mentoring sessions that involved lots of research, discussion, debate and presentation. A lot of time and thought were spent in preparing these sessions and  they were very  successful in inspiring and raising the aspirations of these girls to want to achieve and go to university in future. They have  now offered to come and support in  mentoring a group of year 10 boys as well.

Keith Weddell

Keith has so far spent over 28 hours helping in a year 4 class at Meadow Park Academy.  This class presents a number of challenges. Of the 23 children in the class, 7 are on the SEN register, 10 are Pupil Premium (free school meals) and 6 have English as an Additional Language (EAL), and there are only a few children who don't have one of these needs.  These figures are way above the average and result in a baptism of fire for newcomers to the class.  

Keith has been making weekly visits since November and has been an absolute superstar!  He is reliable, helpful, and will work with any child we ask him to. He follows the class expectations and reinforces them with the children. He has also helped with tricky situations by taking children for movement breaks.  

"He always turns up on time, is cheerful, positive and is a fantastic help. He is a great role model for the children and we are lucky to have him. He will be missed when he leaves!"

Lina Cherifi

Despite commuting to Reading from Surrey, Lina has still found the time to attend Hillside Primary School where she has spent 32 hours.  Despite experiencing rail strike disruptions she has always managed to attend regularly.   She is  always helpful and positive with the pupils. She has supported pupils with EAL as well as other pupils in year 5 with a calm purposeful manner.  The pupils have enjoyed having her in class and were sad to say goodbye today.  Lina is also keen to volunteer at Hillside again next year, where she would be more than welcome.

Luci Hornsby

Luci has volunteered at Loddon Primary School for the last two years.  Last year she supported a Year 1 class and this year she asked to go back and help the same children now they are in Year 2.  So far Luci  has made 23 visits totalling 72.5 hour and she has built up really positive relationships with the children.  They look forward to her visit each week and really enjoy working with her.  

Luci has made an impact in the classroom giving 1:1 support to children who need extra help with their reading and has spent time helping one child who is particularly lacking in confidence and needs more encouragement and 1:1 support.  Having been involved with these children over such a long period has helped Luci make a greater impact. She  is motivated, positive and incredibly helpful in the classroom and has made a real difference to the children she has worked with.

Maria Madhu Jacob

Maria only had a 4 week window available to volunteer but in this short period time she spent over 40 hours helping  with Year 1 to Year 6 art classes.  This involved setting up the classes, handing out supplies, and helping and encouraging the children as they worked.  When not helping with art classes Maria would help in other lessons, giving 1:1 support in maths lessons or helping  in the playground during lunch breaks where she would make time to engage with any child sat on their own.

It has been a real pleasure having Maria in my lessons, she has been wonderful supporting in class in many different ways and making an impact in the classroom. I will miss her very much in school. She was outstanding during her limited time here,  one of the best students that I have had from the university.

Mindy Cheng

Mindy has been a Students in Schools volunteer for two years, last year volunteering in The Ridgeway Primary School with Year 1 children and now in a Year 2 class at Loddon Primary School.  So far, she has made 37 visits totalling over 73  hours and she is still attending regularly.

Mindy has given a variety of support across these two schools and helped children with guided reading, maths, PE as well as general classroom support.  She has built excellent relationships with the children and has given invaluable 1:1 support to those that are struggling with a subject, and especially helping  them with their reading and maths. One child in the class who has behavioural issues now trusts her and asks to read to her. 

Her regular visits have made a huge difference to our classroom. She is proactive and incredibly helpful. She has seamlessly become a key part of our classroom support.

Nominees:

• Jeevan Kang
• Layla Tatar
• Rachel Thorns
• Sarah Jewell
• Tasha Easton
• Yota Dimitriadi

Jeevan Kang

Jeevan took over the role as acting co-chair of the parent and family network in January 2023. She was thrown in the deep end and had to find her feet and has achieved a great deal in her time so far, putting in a lot more time than is allocated in her workload. She has been instrumental in increasing the diversity and inclusion of the network, welcoming and encouraging champions on different issues. Under her reign there has been the creation of a father's channel, eldercare channel which have been well received and filled existing gaps.  Other work being led by the network include the development of return to work resources and consideration of sensitive issues such as pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, involuntary childlessness, the neo-natal care bill and complex fertility journeys, She has been championing issues with HR on behalf of the network, leading to some positive change such as greater line manager guidance and clarifications in existing policy. She has worked collaboratively with other networks and worked on cross-network events such as BAME maternity experiences, a cross network social event and is working collaboratively across networks on eldercare. All activities that go above and beyond her role and the time allocated to her. She has also led events such as the event for child mental health week and has re-introduced coffee meet ups and started exploring setting up a buddy system for returning parents. 

Layla Tatar

Layla showed a real can-do attitude and practical approach in responding to a call for support in running an important event for the Women@Reading Network which was an In Conversation event with our President of Council Helen Gordon. Layla took the initiative and managed the event end to end, from talking to the speaker (Helen) and chair of the event (Elizabeth McCrum), to preparing slides, liaising with DTS and sorting out all the communications as well as ensuring that the event was on the people development programme for the term. We had more than 60 people attend this in person event from across the University. It was a really important for our community to understand the career journey that Helen has taken, hear her achievements and challenges and many colleagues shared how inspirational they found the conversation. The event also helped demystify Council for many. Layla also produced a how to events guide following the event to share with others in the Network to help them have the confidence to run events. Without volunteers stepping forward like Layla, the Women@Reading would not be able to deliver such a range of high quality events. 

Rachel Thorns

Rachel Thorns has been an extraordinary co-chair of the Women@Reading staff network for the past 4 years. She has steering the network through the challenging covid years, nurtured it and developed it into the leading staff network, doubling numbers in the past year or so with more than 400 members today. 

Since 2020, under her leadership has grown into an active forum which is making a real difference to women's working lives. She has led on difficult issues such as tackling domestic abuse through the Berkshire Women's aid talk to staff and worked with Reading SU to run a workshop on self-defence.  

She delivered the network's first policy change for the university, supporting colleagues to develop the menopause guidance for the university and personally helping to draft guidance to launch in time for world menopause day in October 2023. 

Rachel led on the development and delivery of the monthly health cafes, securing funding and designing how the cafes should be run and facilitated. Regularly, 20-30 colleagues drop in to meet, connect and talk building community. She is now exploring virtual monthly health cafes.

Rachel increased the visibility of our network externally from personally representing the network at the Community Festival.  She collaborated with the BAME network to deliver an event to celebrate Women in Black History month with a range of local black women with extraordinary stories.

For the 18 months, Rachel has also had to chair the network alone because of the extended absence and very sudden death of co-chair chair Eleanor Draycott. When Eleanor died she spoke to family members, drafting her obituary and speaking at her memorial.  

Sarah Jewell

Sarah has always been actively involved in the Parent and Family Network Steering Group committee for a number of years and without any hesitation took over role of acting co-chair in April 23.  Sarah has led extremely passionately on a range of initiatives including the development of return to work resources and consideration of sensitive issues such as pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, involuntary childlessness, the neo-natal care bill and complex fertility journeys. An in depth survey was created by Sarah in collaboration with the previous chair and the findings from this survey have led to her implementing meaningful change as well as goals for change for the network in the future. In turn this will be meaningful and impactful change for our fellow colleagues.  Sarah has been championing issues with HR on behalf of the network, leading to some positive change such as greater line manager guidance and clarifications in existing policy. Sarah is always considerate of people's experience championing issues on behalf of others for example ensuring that those who decide to breastfeed are thought about not only within policy but more widely in the research she has conducted and ensuring the voices of others are at the heart of any recommendations. In a nutshell she wants to support mental health and wellbeing of colleagues. All activities go above and beyond her role and the time allocated to her and it is a pleasure to work alongside her.

Tasha Easton

Tasha has taken the lead for mental health and well-being as part of the Disability Network. Over the past year, she has led from the front, facilitating staff sharing their personal stories on the portal to help others. These stories, shared on the portal had a significant impact, in people starting to take the time to talk. She also arranged a programme of activities to coincide with International Happiness at Work Week last September. Activities were well-attended and she also organised the internal communications and engagement. Over the past year Tasha has led several wellbeing walks on campus. For Time to Talk Day, she wrote a Blog for the University. 

Moreover, more locally for her immediate colleagues in Whiteknights House, to build community she organised a reverse Advent calendar, the Christmas Jumper Day and supported a fundraising coffee morning helping to bring people back face to face after Covid. Tasha is a real asset to the Whiteknights House Community, the Staff Disability Network and the broader University. 

Yota Dimitriadi

Since April 2018, Yota has Volunteered as co-chair, then chair of the Staff Disability+ Network. She has been the driving force in enabling the network to become a safe, supportive and friendly part of the University community. She has worked meticulously in bringing a voice for those staff with a Disability.

Yota played a leading role in the Disability and Neurodiversity Review. In particular she ensured the inclusion of the voices and lived experiences of colleagues with disabilities by undertaking interviews and leading focus group sessions. This was a similar approach that she applied in helping the University to successfully, create and adopt a 'Tailored Adjustments Plan' (TAP).

Another particular achievement of Yota's was to represent the varied experiences disabled and neurodivergent colleagues during the pandemic. As we returned to work she also successfully lobbied the VC to ensure the adoption of a hybrid first approach to meetings on behalf of those colleagues with disabilities for whom this has enabled improved ways of working.

Yota showcased this hybrid first approach, at the Our Lived Experiences: Comedy Night which shared Lived Experiences, with a laugh, a tear and a song. Attendees were in-person and online as well as one of speakers, being remote, Lee Ridley @LostVoiceGuy . Remembering that night still makes me smile at which Yota was the prefect compère.

With Yota leading, organising and hosting many of the carnival of events for Disability History Month. The "Our Lived Experiences Hybrid Comedy Night, 'the world of music', Just Dance and the flagship "Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunities". Brought the community and university together in discussing barriers, but also forward-looking ideas for disability awareness.

Fantastically she juggles all these with being a Professor of Computing Education, her work with The Explore the Reading Old Cemetery project, just to mention a few.

Nominees:

• Amber-Louise Pocklington
• Anne Day
• Briti Deb
• Charlotte Coster
• Daisy Katsoka
• Hannah Surgison
• James Mather
• Jamie Gane 
• Julie Murrell
• Kevin Elvidge
• Laura Windisch
• Matthew Norris
• Miles Evans
• Peter Must
• Philip Cook
• Polly Vacher
• Serhan Wade
• Steve Love
• Susan Ellis
• Thu Anh Pham
• Tomson Chauke

Amber-Louise Pocklington

Amber's remarkable journey from a challenging upbringing as a young carer to founding the not-for-profit organisation Hip-Hop to Help is a testament to resilience and determination. Passionate about dance, Amber founded Hip-Hop to Help in 2017, providing dance opportunities for people from all backgrounds. Now with over 2,000 members and 10 volunteer managers, it focuses on changing lives and promoting social mobility through dance, scholarships, and collaborations with schools, councils, and youth clubs.  

At Lloyds, Amber serves as a fantastic ambassador for apprentices, supporting newcomers at Lloyds and volunteering for Breakthrough Women's Network, where she runs the communications for over 10,000 women. Amber recently led the 2024 International Women's Day campaign, offering over 15 free events throughout Women's History Month.

Her dedication to making a positive impact is evident in the success and reach of Hip-Hop to Help. Amber's story exemplifies her unwavering commitment to fostering change and creating opportunities for others.

Anne Day

Anne organised a 25th anniversary reunion for 1999 graduates from Food Technology, Biotech, Food Management and Marketing. Anne was assisted in the organisation of this event by her fellow graduates: Emma Sharp, Rob Pestell, Richard Nash and Jill Mottram. The event included a student-led tour of Whiteknights Campus, a meet-and-greet with old lecturers and a tour of the Food Sciences building, followed by an evening meal. Alumni who attended the reunion said their highlights were seeing people they hadn't seen in a long time, including lecturers, as well as having a tour of the department and campus

Briti Deb

Over the past three years, Briti has volunteered as a Mentor, actively contributing to the professional development of current Reading students. His primary focus has been on assisting them in crafting compelling resumes and honing their job interview techniques. He has shared valuable insights gained from his own career and has witnessed the transformative impact of mentorship on students' confidence and employability.  Currently, he is mentoring a mentee who is aiming to enhance his aptitude abilities. Drawing upon his experience as an IT engineer, Briti established a blog and curated tutorials tailored to his needs, which he has found valuable. 

Charlotte Coster

Charlotte uses her expertise/passion as a writer to expand the comfort of creativity to all areas of society and give those people who do not feel they have a voice, the chance to use theirs in a safe, inclusive space. She is on a committee which works with libraries in London to lead free events and discussions around poetry and also helps to run an open mic night which again gives a variety of people the platform to say what they need to say. 

In addition she sponsors and mentors a child in a local private school, allowing them to comfortably occupy a space within an area that they previously did not feel they should exist within. She also helps run a charity that pays for music lessons when a talented child cannot afford them, meaning that their skill does not go to waste simply because of lack of general funding. This works against the tide of elitism that is flooding the creative industries due to continued restrictions in arts funding. One of the young people we helped within the charity recently was given a role on the west end.

Daisy Katsoka

Daisy has a dedicated passion for supporting and enabling encouragement for women, and has also provided encouragement and advocacy for women to support one another and freely express themselves. 

Hannah Surgison

Shortly after graduating, Hannah went to Calais for 10 days to volunteer with Care4Calais, a charity who provide emergency aid to refugees in Calais. She selflessly helped distribute clothes, food, and hot drinks, as well as helped to entertain and keep morale of the camp high. Since returning she has raised significant awareness of the incredible people in Calais who are living in such awful circumstances, through social media, and is aiming to run the Warwick half marathon and raise £300 to allow her to return and volunteer again for a further four weeks. 

She is extremely kind and selfless, always caring for others, and inspiring those around her to do the same. Hannah had a positive impact on those she interacted with in the refugee camps, and has raised a lot of awareness for a very important cause by sharing blogposts about her experience and creating her fundraiser.

James Mather

James has volunteered for the Maidenhead Search Society-MSS, contributing to the University Archaeology Department. He encouraged,  facilitated and assisted Prof Gabor Thomas to successfully excavate the "Marlow Warlord", which was initially discovered by MSS members along with facilitating significant outreach opportunities to other archaeological societies and the local community in August 2020 (and beyond).

He also helped organise and lead significant metal detecting support for the Dept's fieldwork school's successful and high profile monastery discovery and excavation at Cookham for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. The quality of  Anglo Saxon metal finds discovered and contribution of the responsible detecting support from the numerous MSS club members involved has again been generously acknowledged by Prof Thomas.

Jamie Gane 

Jamie is an inspirational alumni who has volunteered his time to help the University of Reading and share his story with our alumni community.

Jamie has given his time for interviews and articles which were published in the University's online alumni magazine, CONNECTED, and he also gave his time to hold an alumni social media takeover on Instagram. He went above and beyond by also giving detailed video responses to the Q&A.

Jamie is an adaptive athlete and motivational speaker. He competes internationally in Obstacle Course Racing, Judo and undertakes Tough Mudders. Connected to his love for sport Jamie also volunteers as the Race Director for the World and European Championship Races, as well as his other voluntary work for para obstacle racing. 

Julie Murrel

Julie has volunteered for Girl Guiding UK in her local community for over 15 years, leading weekly brownie pack sessions, attending pack holidays and planning exciting, inclusive and enriching curriculum for girls aged 7 -11 years old. She has acted as designated safeguarding  lead and first aider to ensure children were able to experience new opportunities in a safe and positive space.  
Julie says:  “It has been so rewarding to help often disadvantaged  girls  to reach their full  potential, become self-assured,  and to find their voice.”

Kevin Elvidge

Kevin went above and beyond in organising a reunion for the class of 1973 to mark 50 years since graduating. Along with Steve Love, he planned a full three days of activities at the University and in the surrounding area, including a talk from one of the attendees, tours around campus and the campus museums, and dinners. He dealt with the logistics of the event, planning invite lists and booking accommodation and meals, ensuring that the reunion had something for everyone. He arranged small touches like a printed programme detailing plans for the reunion and worked with the Alumni Team to create goodie bags that waited for each attendee in their room to really make the event feel special.

One of the main highlights of the reunion was a dinner where they held an auction of early 70s memorabilia that members of the group brought with them, including a University of Reading branded jumper from their time as students. The auction raised over £200, and the group very kindly decided to donate this back to the University to support students in need.

The reunion was a huge success, with attendees remarking on how great a time they had, and it wouldn't have been possible without the work that Kevin put in.

Laura Windisch

Since retiring in 2019, Laura has volunteered with local charity Reading Family Aid. She is the manager of the annual Toys and Teens Appeal, which provides Christmas presents for children who for reasons such as poverty, are unlikely to receive any other Christmas gifts.  In 2023 she worked with over 100 social workers, health visitors, schools and charities to find the number of children to support; co-ordinated liaison with over 50 organisations to receive donated toys and gifts; and managed around 100 volunteers in the first week of December to sort, pack and deliver the presents. They gave presents to 2,484 Reading children.  In 2020 she also became Secretary to the charity. The charity received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2021. 

As well as her work with Reading Family Aid, Laura volunteers for Age UK Reading. She does the weekly shopping for two individuals with mobility issues, involving visiting them at home, collecting the shopping list, obtaining their groceries and returning the shopping to their home. She has been doing this since 2020. 

During the Covid pandemic Laura also volunteered for several months at the University Medical Practice, calling about 50 patients a day to arrange their Covid vaccinations, and at Activate Learning in Bracknell, assisting around 40 students a day with their Covid tests so they could continue their studies after lockdown.

But it is her work with Reading Family Aid that she believes has the greatest impact - over the past 4 years they have provided Christmas presents to well over 9,000 children in the Reading area.  Feedback this year included "The sheer volume of toys and gifts that you manage to collect and distribute each year, is phenomenal. You have helped to create so much joy for families this Christmas. Thank you." - a local charity. 

Matthew Norris

Since 2016, Matthew has volunteered for Oxfordshire-based community organisation Play2Give. He first supported their community events before joining their board in a more strategic capacity as a fundraising specialist, managing a major gifts team. In the community events, he was involved in the organisation of delivery of their Sleigh2Give initiative (delivering gifts to a range of children's wards, including at the Royal Berkshire Hospital), the Summer Fayre (which drew thousands within the local community together), the Christmas fayre, and much more. From manning stalls at the Christmas fayre to building corporate partnerships, to implementing their first safeguarding policy, Matthew has played a firm role in the charity’s mission to change, transform, and save lives across Oxfordshire. Over this time, Play2Give has had a substantial impact on the community, including opening 2 rooms in hospitals and supplying vital medical equipment.

One of Matthew’s initiatives was a Head Shave, split between Roy Castle and Play2Give which raised a significant amount. Other initiatives which he has been involved in is an Easter egg appeal over many years, where he helped collect Easter eggs for poorly children and then deliver them, and our Sleigh2Give appeal where he did the same, except dressed as Santa.

Miles Evans

Miles gives back to his community in a variety of ways, including through his public service as a councillor, and through serving on the Board of the UK's largest Wildlife Trust (BBOWT).  
When his mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Miles, along with his brother and father, wanted to raise vital funds to support research into the disease. They have raised over £20,000 for Parkinson’s charities by undertaking physical challenges such as running marathons and taking part in ‘Walks for Parkinson’s’ around Berkshire. They recently scaled Ben Nevis to raise funds. 
In addition to the physical challenges, Miles and his family have used social media, written opinion pieces for newspapers and have called for increased government funding with the aim of generating transformational treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson’s. 

Peter Must

Peter took over as Secretary of the Old Students' Association (OSA) in the 1970s and arranged annual meetings as well as helping to produce the OSA magazine, later to become Reading Reading, now Connected.

In 1984-9 Peter first became Secretary of The Friends of the University of Reading in 1984, holding the role until 1989. After he retired in 2004, he remained as a member of the Executive Committee of The Friends.

In 2017 Peter was one of the organisers who arranged for the Friends to become a registered charity and, from that time, has been its Secretary and thereby a trustee. His role, beyond arranging and recording the outcomes of trustees' meetings and the Annual General Meeting, has been to organise and issue to members the annual calendar of events and to circulate news from the University, such as the regular issues of CONNECTED. 

Peter's interest in the town of Wokingham, Berkshire, is satisfied through his membership of the Wokingham (Civic) Society, of which he became Chairman in 2009. In that post he has researched the history of the buildings and notable inhabitants of the town and he gives about six talks a year based on his findings. He also provides guided tours of the town centre at the Library's request, indicating the several Blue Plaque installations and describing their history throughout the town and occasionally for local groups, these again totalling about six a year. Peter was given a Civic Award by the Town Council in 2017.

Philip Cook

Philip leads 5 groups within the local University of the Third Age (U3A) - Town Study; Members' Meetings; Nature Walks; Collectables; Church Building visits. His role is either to lead 'from the front' or to find speakers, researchers, churches, and to co-ordinate the meeting which may be in the 'field' (churches/nature reserves), hosting at home, a coach visit or a public venue (Abbey Baptist church).

He has been on the Committee of the Berkshire Environmental Association for ten years and last year led 3 events/visits of the 11 scheduled - Gilbert White's House & church in Selborne; Jordans Quaker Meeting House/Milton's Cottage; hosting a home-made cream tea for members in his garden.

Peter has been a member of a west Reading (Christian) Church of England church for 25 years and has led the Link/Fellowship group for 15 years; assisting with Sunday worship readings, prayers and welcoming (24 years); providing organisation and running of the Lent Lunches; leading/arranging the monthly 'Open Group' with outside speakers for 7 years (& acting as Treasurer to provide annual accounts); 'Coffee Mondays' drop-in, once a month; assisting with fundraising events.

Peter has also been Treasurer for the Berkshire Gay Link organisation for 21 years and plays a major part in organising/hosting the twice monthly events, including hosting (and catering) for 'significant' birthday meals for up to 10.

Polly Vacher

From flying around the world solo twice, to a Donkathon, to taking in Ukrainian refugees, Polly Vacher is a firm believer that everybody can do something to help other people.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Polly instantly knew she had to do something to help. With the support of a friend, Polly connected with Ukrainian lawyers who had a list of over 400 refugees who needed housing in the UK. She emailed round her village asking if anybody would be prepared to host a Ukrainian family and the response from her village was phenomenal - straightaway 18 families offered to host. Polly then worked very hard to get the refugees to the UK, including working with the lawyers to sort out the visa forms.

Polly also raised £52,000 for the MS Society completing a 'Donkathon' - where Polly drove her two donkeys from South Oxfordshire to North Wales. She has also completed sponsored skydives and flown around the world solo twice to raise money for Flying Scholarships for Disabled People. In recognition of Polly's incredible charity work she was awarded an MBE for services to charity in 2002.

Polly says: "My mantra is that you can always do something. Not everyone can save the world, but we can all do a bit, and this is me doing my bit that I'm able to do. There's no excuse for doing nothing, ever. Anything that you can do to help other people improve and enhance their lives has got to be a good thing."

Serhan Wade

Serhan is passionate about education, and as a result first became a school governor in 2021, at a federation of two schools. He was particularly keen to get involved in this way as there are very few governors under 30 and he wanted to help make the governing board more representative of the community it serves. 

In 2022 he became Vice-Chair of Governors at the same schools. This involves supporting the running of the governing board, which he does alongside several other roles. He sits on the federation's resource sub-committee where he is involved in financial decisions and reviews school budgets, and is also the lead governor for socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils, an area he is particularly passionate about. He also looks after PSHE and extra-curricular activity and leadership and management. He does all this alongside a demanding role in the Civil Service. 

Serhan also volunteers his time to encourage others to become governors - he has taken part in a webinar for University of Reading staff and alumni, and has contributed to an article about his experience of being a school governor. His passion for governance, and particularly for encouraging young people to get involved, is clear, as is his dedication to his role. 

Steve Love

Steve went above and beyond in organising a reunion for the class of 1973 to mark 50 years since graduating. Along with Kevin Elvidge, he planned a full three days of activities at the University and in the surrounding area, including a talk from one of the attendees, tours around campus and the campus museums, and dinners. He dealt with the logistics of the event, planning invite lists and booking accommodation and meals, ensuring that the reunion had something for everyone. He arranged small touches like a printed programme detailing plans for the reunion and worked with the Alumni Team to create goodie bags that waited for each attendee in their room to really make the event feel special.

One of the main highlights of the reunion was a dinner where they held an auction of early 70s memorabilia that members of the group brought with them, including a University of Reading branded jumper from their time as students. The auction raised over £200, and the group very kindly decided to donate this back to the University to support students in need. 

The reunion was a huge success, with attendees remarking on how great a time they had, and it wouldn't have been possible without the work that Steve put in.

Susan Ellis

Since 2010, Susan has been Secretary to West Berkshire Heritage Forum, and from 2012, she has been administering  the Local Listing process in West Berkshire, on behalf of the Forum, and for West Berkshire Council. This process enables local people, parish councils and heritage/history societies to identify and submit proposals to locally list heritage assets which have local significance, either architecturally, historically, or in connection with people or events, but which are not important or unique enough to be nationally listed. The listing process, which the Forum devised and the Council approved, is rigorous, and requires completion of a submission form identifying the features and history of the asset – Susan assists in this process. The Forum has now had around forty submissions approved. The value to the community is in the identification and protection of heritage which is valued and often loved by the community, but which is not 'special' enough to gain national listing protection. Susan has also drafted, and is still working on, the Historic Environment Action Plan (HEAP) for West Berkshire, has provided training on carrying out a Conservation Area Appraisal for other volunteers, and in her role as a member of the Thatcham Town Council Heritage Working Group, has assisted with submissions for the Blue Plaque process celebrating heritage in Thatcham. 

Thu Anh Pham

Thu Anh gave up her day off to speak with prospective students at a student recruitment event in Hanoi and what really struck me was the enthusiasm she demonstrated with every conversation.  You could see students and parents leave the University of Reading stand with a positive impression after every exchange.  In instances where a prospective student was interested in Thu Anh's area of study she even shared her contact details, so she could answer any further questions outside of the education fair.

The following month a member of academic staff from Thu Anh's Department was visiting Vietnam to give a taster lecture and once again she volunteered her services to assist at the session and with follow-up conversations.  His feedback about her contribution was overwhelmingly positive too. 

We are fortunate to have alumni support us with events around the world and over the years I have had the privilege of spending time with many of them.  Thu Anh is among the most passionate and committed advocates for the University that I have ever met and she communicates this with the right balance of confidence and sincerity.  Her contribution is even more remarkable bearing in mind her studies coincided with the COVID pandemic, which severely impacted her experience of living and studying abroad for the first time.  

Tomson Chauke

No words can describe what Tomson Chauke does in Reading and with the communities. Born in Zimbabwe, Tomson came to the UK as a refugee, with music always his soul. Not only has he continued to play music, but he has also been able to form a band, Limpopo Grove. He has taken his drumming to the public and volunteered in schools teaching children and those with learning disabilities. You can see the smiles of children when they start learning drumming; with his traditional hat, he brings joy to everyone. His love of music has seen him volunteer to play the drums when he needed to earn a living. He has been involved with his music at the University, too. 

Tomson then started the football team for refugees, now called the Sanctuary Football team. He volunteered his time to put this team together with no financial help initially, but it is growing. He helps find the referees, sources funding and uniforms, collaborates with Reading Refugee Support Group, and transports players to different locations using his car. Tomson has increased the visibility of the football team, and it is the first refugee football team in Berkshire. Most players are refugees who barely have much and find barriers in Reading, and he has always supported them to feel they belong. He has also volunteered his time for the University of Sanctuary - Reading University towards its steps toward becoming a Sanctuary University. Tomson works, is married and has children., but how he fits his time for the benefit of the community is incredibly powerful to all of us who live in Reading in a Shona Proverb that  "Kupa kuturika" translated"To give is to hang up" - Take time to give to those who are in need. 

Nominees:

• Claire Newbold
• Colin Stonehouse
• Elizabeth McCrum
• Gabriela Thomas
• Gemma Knight
• Heather Borthwick
• Jo Cordy
• Jude Brindley
• Kevin Mortimer
• Louise Hillier
• Rachel McQuilliam
• Simon Cutler
• Wafa Shaikh

Claire Newbold

Claire has many talents, one of them being a qualified Florist. For over 20 years.  Claire has organised workshops in the run up to Christmas.  The workshops take place in her own home and her dining room is turned into a flower workshop for November and December. This involves early morning drives to the flower market in London to ensure she has all the supplies that her students will ever need. 

Not only does Claire give her time for free to teach people a new art but she also donates the profit to local charities who have needed additional funding. At present she is supporting Smart Works, a Reading based charity that helps support local women join or return to the workplace whether it be supplying them with suitable clothing for an interview or with interview coaching. Smart Works can't exist without crucial funding.  In 2023 raised an astonishing £800 to help support their important work.

Claire has recently successfully supported Style Acre's bid for just under £2K from UoR Community Fund in 2023.  Again, Claire saw a need within community as knew Style Acre was seeking some external funding to print a specialised cookbook with Maymessy.  Maymessy, provided a specialised cookery course for the adults with learning difficulties that Style Acre supports.  The funding enabled the printing of the cookbook that has been distributed to all the people being supported by Style Acre.

For the last 18 months Claire and her family have been part of RAYS where they litter pick in their neighbourhood.  She litter picks each month to help her local area. 

Colin Stonehouse

Colin has been an invaluable coach for over 15 years for the Berkshire Brigands. A local mixed ability rugby team, the Brigands welcome players with learning disabilities, autism and other barriers that, without the team, would otherwise prevent them from being able to participate in rugby. 

Colin's unwavering dedication with the Brigands started when his son Duncan, a co-founder of the team, supported his brother from the side lines for 11 years without being able to take part. The Berkshire Brigands have provided a safe and welcoming space for Duncan and other likeminded players to access the sport.

As a coach, Colin is responsible for organising matches, training and supporting the head coach. All of this enables the players to effortlessly participate which has multiple benefits by contributing to a sense of belonging, finding friendship, learning new skills and experiencing competitive sport.

Colin is a great example of a volunteer who is unmeasurably passionate yet quietly goes about their incredible work, never looking for any credit but finding fulfilment in the joy of the players.

Co-Manager Craig Hunter had the following to say about Colin - 'Colin has been an integral part of the foundation of the Berkshire Brigands. Today he continues to be a leading force to enable young adults to take part in a sport they would normally not be able to.'

Elizabeth McCrum

Elizabeth has been a governor at Thameside Primary School for the last 10 years and is currently our Chair. She is committed to the school community and has been incredibly supportive to me in my first year of headship - together, we have navigated Covid, an Ofsted inspection and my own personal challenges. She is coming to the end of her term and I feel that she should be recognised. Like all governors, she is a volunteer but, despite this, still goes above and beyond to help our school develop and improve. Her professionalism is second to none and she will be much missed as a parent and as a governor. I feel that Elizabeth's efforts, support and guidance over the last decade should be recognised and celebrated. She is a working mum who still makes the time to do something amazing for the children and families living in her community. She has made a difference. 

Gabriela Thomas

Gabriela Thomas is a 46 year old married mother of 2 boys, Alex and Oliver, who moved to England from Czech Republic in 2005. Gabi started working at the University of Reading in 2013. Her current role is Treasury Assistant in Finance. 

When Gabi's first born was small, her desire was that he should be bilingual and have an appreciation of his Czech roots and culture. As Gabi started networking with other Berkshire mums she came to the realization that there were a number of Czech nationals who had the same aspirations. The idea of setting up a Czech school with the co-founder J Hajrizi, during weekends was then born.

Turning the idea into reality was a mammoth task involving hours of personal time to prepare and plan. There was a lot of work involved in researching setting up a school with charitable status. Gabi was involved in sourcing the operational funds, finding a suitable property to teach, opening appropriate bank accounts, securing staff and volunteers, setting up the curriculum, manage the financial accounting, safeguarding children to name but a few. As the school vision materialized, more of the Czech community volunteered their support. The Czech School Berkshire (CSB) started teaching 5 classes in Feb 2016, gaining charity status in Jun 2016. 

Since starting, the CSB has grown in size including the activities and events offered. Thanks to Gabi and the director's efforts, annual funding grants starting £500 to £10000 are achieved. This has enabled the CSB to grow the school library, gifts each student together with assisting with general school costs. The events organized are the biggest fund raisers, including the St Nicholas party which attracts almost 400 people from the Czech community, raising £1500 annually. 

Gabriela's dedication to the CSB & community has made it what it represents today.

Gemma Knight

The Staff Forum are a group of volunteers who work closely with colleagues to give them a platform through which to bring questions, ideas or concerns to senior management, and a voice in discussions with the University Executive Board about proposed changes to working life.

Gemma has only been a member of the Staff Forum for the last 12 months; however, during that short time she has become a vital part of the team. She is always the first offer to help on any tasks or join any of the working groups we have been invited to attend - in fact, she often has to hold back in order to give the other reps a chance to also pitch in!

One of the events Gemma was involved in was the Show Your Strips event last year, at which she manned our table for most of the event. During this event she spoke to colleagues and was able to capture several concerns raised. An important outcome of one such conversation was opening up a link to a department who were struggling with certain concerns, and with whom we've historically had difficulty engaging. This was followed up by a separate meeting in which Gemma was involved, and the feedback was that it was a great success, in large part to Gemma's contributions. 

Recently, she overcame her nerves and presented to introduce the Staff Forum at her department's All Staff Talk, which was attended by over 60 members of the department. Considering Gemma has never presented to large groups before, this was an outstanding achievement; furthermore, following the meeting she has been approached by several members of the department to discuss concerns, putting into action one of the Staff Forum's key strategies for this year (engaging more with colleagues).

To top it all, Gemma has recently stepped up to become a deputy for the Staff Forum, which both the other co-chair and myself hugely appreciate.

Heather Borthwick

Heather gives her time to volunteer as both a Community Justice Panel community volunteer and a School Governor. The Community Justice Panel, established and managed by Brighter Futures for Children, focuses on restorative justice, working with young people on Referral Orders and their parents/carers. The panel holds meetings with young people who have offended, their families, and any victims of their crime who wish to attend. The meetings aim to establish what harm has been caused and how it can be repaired or put right. Heather has undertaken 12 hours of training and attends 8 evening panels a year - each panel can last up to 3 hours.

Heather also volunteers her time as a School Governor for two primary schools. Governors are responsible for overseeing the management side of a school and enable their school to run as effectively as possible, working alongside senior leaders and supporting teachers to provide excellent education to children. Heather attends governing body meetings and visits the two schools she works with, as she becomes more involved in the school community and acts as a critical friend to the headteacher and senior leaders.

Jo Cordy

Jo Cordy founded and has been running Free Cakes for Kids in Reading for the last 10 years. Part of the national Free Cakes for Kids network, Jo organises a network of bakers to create birthday cakes for families who find it difficult to provide a cake for their child. Families are referred by social workers, schools and charities across the Reading area. There are many reasons for a referral, such as financial difficulties, the family is living in temporary or refuge accommodation or the family has children with additional needs.  

In a usual month Free Cakes for Kids, Reading will bake and deliver around 12 cakes to families a month, over 100 cakes a year! Jo takes all the requests, assigns bakes to her team of volunteer bakers and arranges delivery.  

Parenting Special Children (PSC), is one charity whose families have benefitted from the Free Cakes for Kinds, Reading. PSC CEO, Ruth Pearse says: "Over the years Parenting Special Children a local charity supporting families of children with special needs has received many cakes for special events. They look amazing and taste delicious - such a special treat for families. Thank you for all that you do, Jo, you are truly amazing!"

In September last year, Jo volunteered her skills at the University, running cake decorating sessions as part of a wellbeing week for staff organised by Tasha Easton, mental health lead for the University's Staff Disability Network. Jo ran 2 half hour sessions which were quickly booked up by academic and professional colleagues. Feedback from the sessions was overwhelming positive ("The cake decorating session was fab, best ever workshop!"), with many envious colleagues eyeing up the cake creations when they returned to their offices!

Jude Brindley

My volunteering is varied - I am UoR Wellbeing Peer Supporter, meeting with colleagues across Schools and Functions to provide them with signposting advice with regard to their wellbeing and mental health using my coaching and mental health first aid training; In a similar vein, I am a UoR Harassment Peer Supporter, providing similar services in a bullying and harassment sphere. 
Having volunteered at Graduation in several roles since 2009, I am currently mostly seen herding academics into two lines to usher them into and out of the Great Hall for each ceremony. I have been told I do this with authority and humour and the staff mostly seem to enjoy it.

Additionally,  I am a director (on the board of trustees) for Readibus, a Reading charity whose purpose is to promote independent living for people with restricted mobility and other disabilities. Here I use my previous charity trustee experience with the addition of my Health and Safety experience (especially risk assessments!).

Volunteering is a great way to make a community - everyone should have a go!

Kevin Mortimer

With a young family and a high-profile job role, Kevin is certainly someone with a full schedule. Despite this, he dedicates himself to not just one but two unpaid roles outside of work which have a profound impact on the community where he lives.

As a member of a governing board for two federated schools in West Berkshire, Kevin makes a positive difference to the education of all pupils.  His ability to offer well-judged support and strong leadership have been invaluable over the past four years. Beyond actively participating in various meetings and committees inherent to his role as a governor, he has devoted substantial time and energy to advise on and enhance the schools' IT infrastructure. Kevin consistently demonstrates his selflessness and work ethic, notably contributing to the recent recruitment of senior leadership, and can always be relied upon to offer assistance to the governing board or schools whenever he is able. 

In addition to the above, Kevin works hard to bring amazing activities and experiences to young children as a Scout leader for Beavers ( 6-8 years old). Whether this is mastering a new skill such as sailing, igniting curiosity through cultural events ( Chinese New Year and Burns night) or new adventures such as camps and survival hikes, Kevin makes sure that children have fun, feel safe, and most importantly make friends.

The commitment to both of these roles is by no means occasional. They both require a significant amount of mandatory training, and out of hours involvement to which Kevin has generously given. Overall, his dedication and diligent efforts make him an invaluable and respected member of his local community.

Louise Hillier

Louise has been participating in the Henley Toad Patrol for the past four years. This is an initiative that helps more than 5,000 toads cross the busy A4155 Henley to Marlow Road each year. The Patrol plays a crucial role in protecting the amphibians during their migration season, ensuring their safe passage to a large pond at the end of the drive in the Greenlands campus for breeding. Louise's involvement contributes to the conservation of local amphibian populations and raised awareness about the importance of wildlife protection within our community at the Greenlands Campus.

Louise participates in the efforts to erect barriers along both sides of the busy road to protect migrating toads, frogs and newts. She returns after dusk to assist with nightly collection, including putting the waiting toads into buckets and then carefully carrying them across the road, placing them into their natural habitat for spawning, and collecting returners on their way back to the local woods across the main road. This meticulous and compassionate approach has ensured the safety and wellbeing of thousands of toads, showcasing her dedication to conservation and animal welfare.

The impact of Louise's volunteering is profound, both on the environment and the community. By safeguarding the toads' migration path, she contributes to the preservation of local biodiversity, ensuring future generations enjoy and learn from our rich natural heritage. Her efforts have inspired others in the community and Henley Business School to take action and participate in conservation efforts, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.

Rachel McQuilliam

Rachel has been volunteering for over ten years with the Home Library Service, run by Oxfordshire County Council, delivering books and audio-visual items to those who struggle to physically visit a library due to their personal circumstances. However, the impact she has on the lives of the people she visits on a regular basis is perhaps the most impressive thing. Hundreds of thousands of elderly people are lonely and cut off from society in the UK, especially those over the age of 75 and the impact of this on the health and wellbeing of society is getting worse. 

Rachel is currently supporting a lady called Marianna, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Marianna is visually impaired and can no longer get out of her house, so with her family living abroad or a long distance away, Rachel is an essential link to life outside of the house, and a friend that can be relied upon to bring happy conversations, as well as books, and enjoy stories of days gone by and a cup of tea. Marianna is just one of the people that Rachel supports through volunteering covering the last decade and has a real belief in the essential role that volunteering plays in giving back to society. Not limited to the Home Library Service, Rachel also volunteers her time to The Cinnamon Trust, the National Charity for older people, the terminally ill and their pets. She would be thoroughly deserving of this award. 

Simon Cutler

Simon's journey as a parent governor began in 2017 at St Crispin's secondary school where Simon spent the first two years in a variety of roles dealing with 'in school days', Ofsted inspections and complaints which lead to him becoming the Chair of the Resources Committee and Vice Chair of the Governing Board. Following this, Simon supported St Crispin's to become an academy trust, which took a huge amount of work.  Here, Simon spent 3 years as a governor for the academy.

Simon also supports the Institute of Education at the University, highlighting the opportunities that are available to our education experts.  There are now six plus education specialists who volunteer for the trust, supporting the Trusts 'excellent for all' aim and the University's aim of supporting the local community.  This has opened the Trust up more and further embedded it within the local community.

Simon is now a local adviser (governor) within the Trust at Wescott Infant School - becoming vice chair and now moving to Chair; the school were recently inspected by Ofsted and rated 'Good' with many areas 'Outstanding'. He has been a governor for 7 years in total. Simon always brings his passion, good humour, enthusiasm, commitment, determination and resilience to all that he has achieved, whilst still working hard as a Business Relationship Manager at UoR. Moreover, he has taken a strategic look at research opportunities and partnerships available to the Trust, as well as promoting this University to the students within the Trust.

During this time (and before), Simon has also coached 3 local football teams - Finchampstead and Pinewood - for 13 years, taking them through to U18 football, as well as being the mascot 'Finchley' for Finchampstead.

Wafa Shaikh

In November 2023, I participated in a fundraising campaign organised by Mind, a mental health charity, working across England & Wales. I decided to take up a challenge to complete 20 minutes of yoga practice every day and raise some amount for the charity.

During the whole month of November, I practiced different forms of yoga for 20 to 30 minutes and shared my progress on my fundraising page. The aim was to get people I know talking about mental health issues and support the cause with a donation. 

When I volunteered, I decided to challenge myself to do something I had not done before, to do something I never expected myself to do ever. At the end of the 30 days, I am proud to share I completed 657 minutes of yoga and helped raise £195 for Mind. With this small contribution, I helped Mind continue to be there for those who need help, whether it is being on the other end of the phone or campaigning hard in local communities.