Celebration of volunteering 2023
This year we were delighted to launch a new Celebration of Volunteering to recognise the volunteering achievements of members of our University community.
The event, which took place on Thursday 27 April 2023, brought together alumni, current students, University staff, and supporters to award, showcase, and celebrate those who have given up their time to volunteer, whether for the University, in a particular field, or for their community.
We were delighted to present three Alumni and Supporter Volunteer of the Year awards.
Jack Abrey, who graduated with a degree in Human and Physical Geography in 2018, won for his work with Living Paintings, a charity which helps blind and partially sighted children and adults to access the visual world through ground-breaking touch-to-see books. Jack has provided the narration for over 10 books which will enable blind and partially sighted children and young adults to access topics such as evolution, art through history, construction vehicles, and even a workout book by Joe Wicks. Jack has also been a school governor, and is a volunteer presenter for Radio Tring. Read more about Jack's volunteering.
Hilary Withey, who studied Social Work at the University of Reading, won for her volunteering with ABC Nepal, which works with women and girls who have been victims of trafficking, rape and domestic violence. Hilary spent afternoons with the girls, organising games and other activities. Hilary also volunteered with St Xavier's College, which introduced the first Social Work course in Nepal. Hilary created scenarios and ran workshops about mental health social work for several year groups, and ran a Q&A session for students interested in mental health social work. Find out more about Hilary's volunteering.
Clive and Sheila Payne are local residents who began to pick up litter on campus during the Coronavirus lockdown, as part of their daily allotment of exercise. Since lockdown ended, they have continued to visit campus five or six times a week, no matter the weather, to clear up litter. Clive and Sheila have lived locally for many years, and love the campus and consider it part of their local community. They believe that as members of the wider University community, it is important to do their bit to keep the campus clean and safe. Learn more about Clive and Sheila.
The event also featured an exhibition of photos, videos, and stories, showcasing the wide range of volunteering being undertaken by members of the University community.