The Churches Conservation Trust Volunteers of the Year 2015 announced

The Churches Conservation Trust today recognised the outstanding work of its volunteers through the Volunteer of the Year Awards in a celebration of volunteering event held at 55 Broadway in London, supported by the Marsh Christian Trust and Transport for London.

The event also marked the launch of The Churches Conservation Trust’s new 'Protect, Create, Inspire’ document, which recognises the central role that volunteers play in helping the organisation to deliver its goals of inspiring people, protecting our heritage, and creating value.

Each winner was awarded £500 by the Marsh Christian Trust, which celebrates volunteers across the charity sector with their countrywide award scheme.

The winners were:

• Andrew Nicholson, who was named North Volunteer of the Year for his work at Holy Trinity Goodramgate in York, where he has already committed 400 hours of volunteering this year, welcoming visitors and explaining the history of the church, cleaning and conducting visitor surveys, among other duties. 

• Roger Green, who was awarded South East Volunteer of the Year for his work at St Peter’s in Sudbury, Suffolk, where he chairs the church Friends’ Group and facilitates regular markets, festivals, concerts and theatre productions, in a church that attracts 57,000 visitors a year.

• Pat Prosser, who was presented with the West Volunteer of the Year award for her work at Old Bartholomew’s in Lower Sapey, Worcestershire. Over 25 years, Pat has cared for this once-neglected rural church, ensuring it is conserved and loved by the community.

• Jessica Martin, who was recognised as Young Volunteer of the Year for her work visiting 62 different churches to study Commonwealth War graves, including at St John's in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and helping the Churches Conservation Trust to develop a database
  to record these important memorials, in a project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

• Andy White, who has been recognised as Fundraising Volunteer of the Year for his work in East Anglia, and particularly at St Peter's in Claydon, Suffolk, from where he has conducted numerous sponsored cycle rides for The Churches Conservation Trust.

The Trust’s Chief Executive, Crispin Truman, said:

“Volunteers are vital to the work of The Churches Conservation Trust, and without the work of Andrew, Roger, Pat, Jessica & Andy, and 1,700 like them it would be impossible to keep the doors open across our 347 churches. 

“That’s why I’m proud that we are not only recognising the work of these five volunteers today, but also launching our ‘Protect, Create, Inspire’ publication, examining the work of our volunteers up and down the country and how through their tireless work and selfless attitude they are changing their communities for the better.”

Download our 'Protect, Create, Inspire’ document:

Protect, Create, Inspire