Volunteer Awards 2011

The third RELAYS volunteer awards were presented towards the end of 2011, celebrating the commitment and dedication of our wonderful volunteers. The awards were presented to the winners by the universities.

Volunteer of the Year - Adam Doherty

Adam was nominated by RELAYS School Events Co-ordinator at Bournemouth University, Virginia Bailey. Since joining the RELAYS team of volunteers in October 2011, Adam has completed over 60hrs of volunteering, including RELAYS weekly coaching in schools and the community, along with a number of RELAYS festivals. When volunteering for RELAYS he has shown commitment and passion throughout and remembering that Adam is a first year student, he has shown great maturity and professionalism. When interviewed in October 2010, the experiences that he had already in coaching and leadership were extremely impressive for someone so young and instantly stood out.  

Adam has not only made a positive impact on the RELAYS team at Bournemouth University, but has received excellent feedback from external colleagues from within education. Adam has taken part in delivering a number of leadership academies that have been organised in partnership with the West Dorset School Sports Partnership. 

Adam is always the first to sign up to festivals and opportunities. He attended 9 out of 10 RELAYS weekly training sessions and all of the major RELAYS events in 2011. He was selected as part of the team to attend the Bristol Festival of School Sport and did an excellent job. Adam also travelled back from London to attend the Devon Games to Inspire, sacrificing paid work to volunteer. 

Adam has benefited from the training and opportunities that RELAYS has offered him, but RELAYS has massively benefited from the time, energy and commitment that Adam has put into the project. It has not just been the case of logging hours, gaining a bursary and improving his CV, but has been about developing his skills as a coach and leader, which has shone through in his dedication and enthusiasm to the project.

Adam Doherty with his 'Volunteer of the Year' award

Outstanding Contribution to the 2012 Sporting Legacy - Craig Viner

Craig was nominated by RELAYS School Events Co-ordinator at Bournemouth University, Virginia Bailey. Craig has been involved with RELAYS since 2009 and over the last two years he has been involved with a number of festivals and events, leading activities and acting as a mentor to other students and pupils. 

With the development of the Leadership Academies in West Dorset this year, Craig has showed his maturity and skills as a coach and in particular as a mentor. Feedback from external partners involved with the project have commented on his skills at engaging with the young leaders, working with them to develop their skills as leaders, by guiding and advising them. At one of the most successful events, held for year 10 students from West Dorset, the group where extremely switched on and already well established leaders in their schools and clubs. This pushed the volunteers to ensure that they where challenging the pupils enough and pitching the sessions at the correct level. Craig stepped up to the challenge and took a lead on the proceedings, introducing the day as well as getting the pupils to think about why they where there and what they where hoping to achieve. His maturity and confidence was evident throughout, as well as supporting the pupils he also made sure the RELAYS team where confident in what they where doing. 

Craig is extremely reliable, mature and confident when volunteering for RELAYS. He is professional and someone that the rest of the team look to for guidance and support when working in testing situations. Over the last 2 years he has been able to adapt his style of coaching to ensure that what he delivers meets the needs of the group he is working with.

Craig Viner with Jason Gardener, MBE

Outstanding Contribution to the 2012 Cultural Legacy - Ruby Squires

Ruby was nominated by the Cultural Events Co-ordinator at the Arts University of Bournemouth, Jo Gardner. Ruby worked on the Re:View Photography Project in 2011 as a mentor to young people. She is a Photography undergraduate at the AUCB and worked as part of the project to gain more experience working with young people and to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with them. Ruby was always punctual and regularly attended the project sessions. She was a natural team player and could work independently when necessary and formed some good relationships with the young people during the project.

Ruby Squires and Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Curran 

Team Devon and RELAYS Volunteer of the Year - David Fraser

This new award has been created in partnership with Team Devon to celebrate the commitment of a volunteer specifically in the County. David was nominated by RELAYS Schools Events Co-ordinator at Plymouth University, Jo Reed. David first volunteered with RELAYS at the Summer Devon Ability Games to Inspire 2010, since then he has volunteered at 3 of the Devon Ability Games to Inspire and will also be taking part in the Autumn 2011 event.  

When David started in 2010 he assisted the head coach in the Boccia sessions, working with the young people with disabilities and supporting them with the equipment and assisting with the rules of the games. Since volunteering with RELAYS David decided to gain his Boccia Coaching and referee qualification and has since led the Boccia sessions at last years event. He will also be leading the Boccia sessions at this year’s Autumn Devon Ability Games to Inspire. David also volunteers through Active Devon and attends a local Boccia Saturday Club in Ivybridge for younf people. He also led Boccia sessions at this years Freedom Field Sports Day.  

Dave is currently studying for his PHD in Tourism at Plymouth University. He lives in Saltash, but no distance is ever too far! He really is very passionate about Boccia and truly loves working with the young people and encouraging them to get involved with sports.