Volunteers honoured at JVN awards evening

The work of organisations and individuals who dedi­cate their time to charity was honoured at the fifth annual JVN Heartbeat of the Community Awards.

Hosted by The Apprentice’s Claude Littner, charities from across the Jewish and non-Jewish communities nominated their volunteers, with the winners whittled down by an Independent Judging Panel to a shortlist.

Nine awards were handed out on the night, including Project ImpACT, who won The Investec Award for Innovation in Volunteering, Trevor Alexander receiving The Bridging Trust Award for Interfaith Volunteering and Jonathan Middleburgh, who scooped The Charity Bank Award for Outstanding Charity Leadership.

Emunah’s Camille Compton, winner of The JVN Award for Overseas and International Volunteering, said: “I was slightly embarrassed to receive the Award as my reward is seeing our kids succeed, I don’t do it for thanks. However, it is a wonderful feeling to have a public acknowledgement. I’m left basking in the glow. Thank you so much for making me feel special.”

Neha Dhakar, from the Kisharon’s Childs Hill Library team which won The Barbara Rosenblatt Award for the Outstanding Volunteer Team, said: “It was a beautiful evening and winning was really the cherry on the cake! All the volunteers are so chuffed.”

JVN Director Leonie Lewis MBE, who is stepping down after ten years, having helped establish the charity, said: “These Awards, incorporating the Hall of Fame and accompanied by the Faces of Volunteering exhibition, demonstrate our commitment to appreciating volunteering in all its forms. In addition to advocating good practice in volunteer recruitment, management and inclusion, volunteer recognition is equally as important to our strategy. We have been running these Awards for a number of years now and are delighted that the charities see them as the best possible opportunity to publicly acknowledge the exceptional value that volunteers add to their work.”