North East VCS Awards
Sir Bobby Robson amongst winners at Voluntary Sector Awards Ceremony
Sir Bobby Robson was celebrated amongst the region's voluntary and community Sector stars last night (Thursday 26th November) at the 2009 North East VCS Awards, held at the Radisson Hotel, Durham.
Professor Ruth Plummer accepted the VONNE special award for outstanding contribution to the sector on behalf of Sir Bobby. Professor Plummer was Sir Bobby’s oncologist and she who asked Bobby to help with fundraising for the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. Sir Bobby personally saw to it that his charity, The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, raised more than £1.6m for cancer research and the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Centre was opened at the Freeman Hospital in February 2009. The award was in recognition of the incredible fundraising efforts he made in the last stages of his life.
Pic: Mary Quinn from Stepney Bank Stables won volunteer of the year
Fellow winners were presented with awards at a glittering ceremony attended by over 180 people. The awards recognise the work of individuals and Voluntary and Community Sector organisations from across the region, in helping to develop our communities.
The winners are:
- Most Exciting Project: Headway Theatre Company
- Most Inspiring Campaign: NCJ Media
- Volunteer of the Year: Mary Quinn, Stepney Bank Stables
- Outstanding Organisation: Bell View (Belford, Northumberland)
- Outstanding Leadership: Jo Grant, Aquila Way
- Young Leader (under 26): Sam Day, Just 4 Youth
Jo Curry, chief executive of Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East (VONNE), says: “The aim of this award ceremony is to shine the spotlight on the tremendous work that is carried out by individuals, groups and organisations in the voluntary and community sector in the North East. The determination of individuals to overcome disadvantage, to circumvent the challenges that they face and to seek to change the lives of people and communities in the region shone from the nominations that we received.”
See photos and the full list of shortlisted and winners from the night
Sponsorship
These awards would not have happened without the kind support from our sponsors:
- Millfield House Foundation
- One North East
- Train2Gain
- Groundwork North East
- mydiscjobs.com
Last year's Awards
Award Winners Programme 2009 (PDF 528kB)
Read the stories behind each of our winners in our special programme.