What we can achieve if we work together! Celebrating inspirational local people, groups and projects across Dudley Borough #dva19 #dvastory

Dudley CVS’s Annual General Meeting and Awards is a celebration that recognises inspirational local volunteers, people and groups who generously give their time to help make life better for others in Dudley borough. It’s also a time to reflect on some of our greatest achievements throughout the year and to spotlight some of the amazing projects, groups and individuals we have supported. It’s also a lovely opportunity to join our colleagues at the Brierley Hill Civic and showcase our wonderful venue and what it has to offer.

At this year’s event we spotlighted some of the projects, groups and individuals we have been working with during 2018-19 and shared a snapshot our annual review; how we’ve been connecting, inspiring and championing great community work across the Dudley borough. Take a look at the full annual review here: www.dudleycvsreview.org

Last year our Carers Co-ordinator and Integrated Plus team continued to support more than 1,000 unpaid carers, people in crisis and those with complex needs. Our Integrated Plus team build a network of support around individuals, ranging from practical help, financial support and community activities to help them to become more socially connected and resilient.

During our AGM we spotlighted our work to develop the Integrated Plus High-Intensity User Service (HIU), supporting people in crisis and those with complex needs. Read more about the project on Danielle and Kelly’s blog post, “Our support to individuals all starts with a phone call and a cuppa.”

Our Healthwatch Dudley colleagues shared highlights from their work last year, you’ll find their annual report here: https://bit.ly/33RAT7K

Integrated Plus, Healthwatch Dudley and our Carers team bring their different skills and experiences together in a way that benefits the sector and ultimately, the communities the sector supports.

Our work with Dudley’s Young Health Champions inspired Lauren to tackle period poverty. Her idea to make up packs now sees them distributed in all sorts of places, from family centres to schools. Lauren is making a real positive difference to the mental health of other young people https://bit.ly/2BEL7fT

We spotlighted Airtime, a weekly group for members of the community with COPD and related conditions, and our work to support the group to become independent and sustainable. Airtime was one amongst 200 hundred not-for-profits we supported last year.

We worked with Age UK Dudley to support a common aim: keeping vulnerable people connected and well. 9 groups were helped to kickstart or expand their activities with grants of between £250 and £500. Age UK funding helped Wall Heath Ladies Choir to get started and get a further grant of £3,000 https://bit.ly/31DCOeD

Our support to groups last year led to 32 successful funding applications totalling almost £2,000,000. We’ve supported groups to raise more than £11.7 million from grant funders over the past 11 years!

Our work with Dudley Voices for Choice (DVC) resulted in them being awarded a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund totalling £415,720 to maintain a regional self-advocacy network https://bit.ly/2MGZeYd

We brought together local charities CHADD, Barnardos and Phase Trust to design a service that would support vulnerable people who were involved or at risk of becoming involved in child criminal exploitation. Read more about the NAVIGATE project: https://bit.ly/2Jf3H2r

We’ve gathered local doers, creatives, makers and all kinds of people who shared an appetite nurture a culture of curiosity and kindness in Dudley town centre. https://bit.ly/361vrkQ

Our work in both Dudley and East Coseley Big Local show how we bring all sorts of people, organisations and partners together to build kinder and more connected communities.

Our Volunteer Centre helps people from all walks of life to connect with good causes and start making a difference. Last year we linked the Art Yard with incredible volunteers doing great things across Dudley borough. Artworks were created in celebration of what volunteers do to help their local communities. https://bit.ly/32C6URb

Following our AGM and highlights from 2018/19 it was time to focus on the awards part of the evening, celebrating local volunteers, people and groups who generously give their time to help make life better for others.

Listen back to the Dudley CVS Awards on Black Country Radio!

 

Deb Brownlee received the Arts and Heritage Award for her tireless work to reopen and restore St John’s Church in Kates Hill and turning it into a community hub. Deb’s nominator said “The ‘never say can’t’ attitude of this group is utterly remarkable and the obstacles they’ve had to overcome would have defeated most. Deb’s dedication is exemplary and having spent 1000s of hours on her beloved project is fully deserving of an award”.

The Sporting Champion Award was awarded to Bryn Nicholls and Briony Tonks from Oldswinford and Stourbridge Social Cricket Club. Bryn and Briony have developed a supportive and fun programme of cricket activities for disabled children and young people. Their nominator said “The needs of participants are to the forefront of Bryn and Briony, and sessions are planned and delivered so as to help all involved to develop both personal skills and social skills.”

Kyle Harper was awarded this year’s Ray McGuirk Young Volunteer of the Year Award. Kyle helped to set up All Stars Youth Club, and regularly volunteers at the club which caters for young people with special educational needs and disabilities aged 8-30 years. Kyle’s nominator said “All Stars Youth Club initially had no funding. Kyle decided to fundraise by doing a bag pack at Tesco which raised over £300. He also solely arranged a Charity Ball with singers, raffle, bingo and a disco, raising £700!”

The Business Supporting the Community Award went to Julie Bate from Amblecote Sainsburys for the dedication she has shown to local family carers and organisations that support them in Dudley borough. Julie’s nominator said “She has a social conscience and has made a real impact by helping us all to create positive spaces for people who are struggling with their caring role. She listens to people when they feel unheard, takes action and inspires others to do the same.”

Friends of Wollescote Park received the Community Champion Award for all their hard work to make the park a beautiful oasis for the community. The person who nominated Wollescote Park said “The group are really innovative and tenacious. Their exceptional commitment to involving the whole community and being inclusive is to be commended. Their project work is an inspiration for other community groups.”

Recovery Café volunteers received the Kindness and Inclusion Award. Their nominator said “All the volunteers are, or have been dealing with their own issues, whether that be mental health, addiction or financial hardship and they are all getting through it and supporting each other as well as the customers of the café.”

 

The Mark Ellerby Award for enterprise, digital and technology went to Mike Tolfree, Oliver Bennet and Callum Fowkes who are all volunteers at the Beacon Centre’s FabLab, a workshop that develops visually-impaired people’s digital manufacture skills. Their nominator said: “Mike, Oliver and Callum are hugely dedicated to the Beacon’s FabLab and their enthusiasm has been instrumental in ensuring the successful launch and 1st year of FabLab”

Their nominator said “Mike has pushed forward on an artistic level taking the quality of products to a level we didn’t expect so early on, enhancing photographic and personalised ornaments and corporate branded items such as T-shirts, keyrings and signage”

“Not only has Oliver immersed himself in smart device accessibility to help the Beacon Centre’s visually-impaired customers, he’s dedicated to 3 clients in our home visiting scheme, helping them get out and about, giving IT support & helping one to set up their own company.”

Callum’s nominator said that he “developed his knowledge of 3D printing and design for FabLab to produce bespoke items such as 3D tactile maps. These 3D maps enable visually impaired people gain a better understanding of new surroundings & environments through touch”

“Without Mike, Oliver and Callum, the Fab Lab would, quite simply, not be able to operate.”

The Gordon Lindsay Award for Long Service, is an award for special local heroes who’ve dedicated more than 20 years to their communities. This was awarded to Jillian Fielder.

Jillian has been volunteering for 35 years to help children and young people develop, either with the Boys Brigade or the toddlers group she leads. Jill’s nominator said that her Boys Brigade group “provides a safe environment where children can run off steam, be children, build their confidence and self-esteem by trying new things and discover for themselves who they are as individuals.”

Jill’s Mom & Toddler group “also provides adults with the rare opportunity of sitting and chatting with friends, which helps to reduce isolation and loneliness and encouraging people to make new friends”

And Jill’s nominator thinks Jill is so special because “She sees the hardships that some of these children are going through and strives to make a positive difference to their lives. She is a hidden gem to our community.”

This year’s event also introduced a new award Operation Santa Business with a Big Heart Award.    

Operation Santa is a local campaign, which is run by Dudley CVS. Every year donations of new toys, gifts, food etc. are collected and distributed to local voluntary and community groups who support children, young people and families in crisis within Dudley borough. This year Dudley CVS recognised two outstanding businesses that had generously supported the campaign.

The Court House in Kingswinford, provided 100 free Christmas carvery dinners for children who would otherwise not get a Christmas lunch.

Garry and Hayley Aulton behind Beer Buz, organised a reverse Santa where people brought presents, plus an auction of donated items.  This auction raised over £3500 for local children and young people this Christmas.

View the full photo gallery from the event on the #DVA19 blog

What people said:

Always a special evening … I am in awe of all the volunteers who give so much to this community

I never cease to be amazed at the wonderful work that is being carried out by our volunteers!

Kindness ♥♥

Inspired, enthused and motivated to volunteer. Thank you DCVS!

Lovely to see kind, hardworking people recognised and the difference they make.

Inspiring and humbled. Great to see people being recognised

Still lots of things to achieve but let’s hope we are on the right road to success

Proud to work in Dudley ♥

A wonderful uplifting evening

Volunteers are worth their weight in gold x