Edinburgh’s inspiring volunteers to take centre stage

Over sixty of Edinburgh’s most inspring volunteers are to be honoured by Frank Ross, Rt. Hon. Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, at a special awards ceremony tomorrow during #VolunteersWeekScotland. Among them are local heroes from North Edinburgh’s Knit and Natter group and MAD (that’s Mums and Dads) cook Sean Fitzharris.

Edinburgh’s Inspiring Volunteer Awards, now in its eleventh year, reflect the huge range of organisations and individuals who give their time freely to work with the city’s vibrant charity and non-profit sectors.

This year’s awardees include a keen Knitter who runs “Knit and Natter” sessions; a kennel volunteer; an IT instructor; a befriender providing care and support to the elderly; a group of secondary pupils with a mission to raise awareness of equality issues throughout the school and an actor with a social cause!

The recipient of the “Lord Provost’s Inspiring Volunteer of the Year Award 2017” is Lily Cook, a Sales Assistant Volunteer with Save the Children, Dalry Road.

Frank Ross, Rt. Hon. Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh said: “Lily Cook certainly is an ‘Inspiring Volunteer’ and worthy of the 2017 Award. Her first hand experience of customer service has proved invaluable to the Save the Children charity shop on Dalry Road. I am delighted to present these awards and to add Lily’s name to the volunteering honour board in the City Chambers.” 

The award ceremony has been organised by Volunteer Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Compact Partnership.

Edward Hibbert, Trustee of Volunteer Edinburgh said: “These Awards are a way to celebrate the wide range of people who volunteer and the positive difference volunteering makes across the City every day. We are delighted that the Lord Provost continues to recognise how important volunteers are to Edinburgh through this key initiative.” 

Paul Wilson, Chief Officer of Volunteer Edinburgh: “The volunteers receiving awards this year come from all walks of life, have a whole range of skills and abilities and make their impact in a huge variety of ways. This is true of course of the many thousands of volunteers across Edinburgh, each of whom makes a powerful and unique difference by choosing to volunteer. We’d like to thank each and every one of those volunteers for being truly inspiring and making our city a better place to live and work.”