Know a club, society, or student volunteer who's made a difference? Nominate them ❤️ for an award.

The annual Volunteering Awards is held to celebrate all the fantastic UCL volunteers! Each year, there are special awards for those who've gone above and beyond.

Here are our winners for 2019 - a huge congratulations to all of you!

Student-Led Project of the Year

Congratulations to Impactive: Student-Led Project of the Year!

With Impactive, Engineering students tackle challenges faced by people with disabilities. They design and build customised equipment and accessories, so that beneficiaries can enjoy a more independent life. 

“As someone in the later stages of motor neurone disease, and therefore losing the ability to use my limbs and my voice, staying in contact with people is very important to me. My iPad is rapidly becoming my window on the world. Project Impactive built something that will support my arm and help me to continue to use the iPad for the foreseeable future." - Impactive Beneficiary

Project Impactive

Best Newcomer

Congratulations to Double Exposure: Student-Led Project Best Newcomer!

Double Exposure provides a creative outlet for those that have experienced homelessness and to allow their voices to be heard.

"It has been wonderful to see beneficiaries’ confidence grow and realise their own creative potential." - Double Exposure Project Leader.

Organisation of the Year

Congratulations to Spectrum: Organisation of the Year!

Spectrum link Medical students to children with disabilities or special needs. Volunteers have fortnightly contact with an assigned child, taking them on outings, group trips and activity weekends away.

"Spectrum not only cares for the children it looks after, but also each and every volunteer that is a part of it." - Spectrum Volunteer

 

Individual Awards

Congratulations to the following star volunteers!

Biggest Impact: George W X Barker, Sexpression

"George is kind, fair, patient, conscientious and has pushed the charity forward." - fellow volunteer

Most Committed Volunteer: Katie Hodgkinson, London Nightline

"Katie has contributed over 750 hours to making sure that other students around London have someone to speak to in their times of greatest need." - fellow volunteer

Best Volunteer Moment: Philippine Levy, Double Exposure

"Philippine was able to help a beneficiary confidently articulate his thoughts and open up. It was genuinely a pure and special moment." - Double Exposure Project Leader

Wildcard!: Aphisara Banansanprasit

"Aphisara is a passionate social worker who takes every single opportunity to help the society." - fellow volunteer

 

Oliver Hare Altruism Award

This Award was set up by the charity Olly’s Future, and exists to celebrate initiative, empathy and altruism within the UCL student community. It covers both formal volunteering and informal support for others. Olly’s Future highlights a legacy of kindness and compassion that epitomises the extensive body of student volunteers we’re lucky enough to have at UCL.

This year's winner is Anita Sangha who, as well as having considerable caring responsibilities, raised money for The Brain Tumour Charity, training for a half-marathon and raising more than £2,300. Anita also founded a Cancer Research society at UCL,  has campaigned on a range of issues she is passionate about and is heavily involved in Students' Union activities like the Zero Tolerance for Sexual Harassment campaign. What particularly impressed the panel was her ability to step back and tend to her own wellbeing. As the person who nominated her said, "I am also so proud of her for demonstrating self-care when she’s needed it most. She knows you cannot pour from an empty cup and she is concentrating on refilling hers. For this reason, she is an excellent role model."

Oliver Hare Award being presented


 

If you were unable to join us at the event, or just want to re-live it, here's a lovely article that sums it all up!