Chloe Kent

Environmental heroes who have spent the past year working hard with TCV, the community volunteering charity, had their efforts celebrated in an annual awards ceremony.

Seven different awards were given out to volunteers and charity workers from around the country to recognise the huge positive improvements the winners had made over the year to their local environment and communities.

People’s Postcode Lottery Volunteer of the Year Award, went to Pat Lipscombe. Pat has worked tirelessly at Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park and Visitor Centre for the past six years, helping to train new volunteers, taking part in habitat management workdays, and running educational visits for families and children.

Two surprise awards were also given out at the event – a Special Award, for the volunteers of Sonning Common Green Gym, and TCV President’s Award, given to Caroline Crossley, Operations Leader from Skelton Grange Environment Centre in Leeds.

Other winners included; Ullie Wenzel, who won the Heart of the Community Award for her work with the People’s Health Trust funded Local People Project in Culloden & Smithton area of Inverness; a group of Glaswegian volunteers from Glasgow Midweek Volunteers Group, who won the TCV Green Heroes Award; James Bunting of the Belvoir Area Resident’s Group, who won the Outdoors and Active Award; and Clare Street, an avid conservationist and beekeeper who works on TCV projects across London, who won the Star of the Future Award.

This year TCV received £400,000 from players of People’s Postcode Lottery as part of their Postcode Green Trust. With this money, TCV is able to extend their work connecting people and green spaces to benefit both the environment and the health and wellbeing of the local community.

Sir Jonathon Porritt CBE, President of The Conservation Volunteers, said:

Shortly before attending TCV’s Annual Awards, I found myself at a conference about climate change, and it really made me think. In a time of such environmental uncertainty, it’s heartening to see so many people out there doing such amazing things to protect the green spaces in their community.

If each person who works with TCV can make a small difference in the place that they live and improve the local environment, we can have such a powerful impact together.

Professor Tony Crook CBE, Chair of the Conservation Volunteers, said:

These awards reflect the core of what TCV does. Our staff and volunteers not only help create and enhance green spaces but through this work help to build more human and social capital, thus supporting the communities involved in looking after these spaces. The need to improve spaces and enhance communities is immense which is why I and my fellow Trustees are keen to engage with more partners to work together on these challenges.

David Miller, Head of Communications at the People’s Postcode Lottery, said:

It’s a real inspiration to see the hard work and dedication of TCV volunteers and employees this evening, who have been working hard to deliver the best results they can in their local communities, around the country.

People really can make a huge difference by working together in their communities.

Image: TCV