A celebration evening took place recently at the University of Chester, to honour and thank the students and staff who, between them, volunteered for well over 32,000 hours in the community, and in the University, in the last academic year.
A total of 59 staff and students were singled out in the roll of honour for special mention, with many achieving over 50, 150 or 300 hours of voluntary service.
VIP guests included the Sheriff of Chester, Councillor Alex Black, and the Sheriff’s Lady, Mrs Janet Black, as well as other local councillors. Entertainment was provided by the University’s Orchestral Society at the start of the evening.
In total, staff and students volunteered for 32,390 hours in the academic year 2014/15. So far, this academic year, 22,965 volunteering hours have already been achieved.
During the celebration evening, a number of awards were given out, including new accolades – The Good Neighbour Award, awarded to three students nominated by members of the local community, and The Student Equality and Diversity in Action Award, given to students who made a significant contribution to the University’s Diversity Festival 2016.
Other accolades were the Volunteer Achievement Award, given to students who achieved a minimum of 50, 150 or 300 hours of volunteering over a one year period, and the University of Chester Volunteering (UCV) awards- the UCV Plus, UCV Gold and UCV Excellence.
The Rev Dr Lesley Cooke, Dean of Students, said: “The annual Volunteer Celebration Evening is a fantastic way to recognise the achievements of our staff and student volunteers, who are involved in a diverse range of volunteering opportunities. The number of hours that they commit to volunteering is substantial, and makes a significant difference both in the community and in the University itself. This is our opportunity to thank them all for their hard work and commitment throughout the year.”
