Age UK to host Volunteering Awards

Age UK to host Volunteering Awards as part of the European Year of Volunteering 2011

The search is on for volunteer champions who have helped to improve the lives of older people

Age UK is calling for entries for its Health and Social Care Volunteering Awards, a one-off awards scheme made possible through funding from the Cabinet Office as part of the European Year of Volunteering 2011. The charity is calling on organisations and community groups to nominate outstanding volunteers who have contributed to the delivery of health and social care services for older people.

Volunteer excellence will be recognised across four categories linked to delivering and supporting health and social care services: Information and Advice, Home Services, Digital Inclusion and Well Being Services. The awards will be judged on the impact the volunteer has made in relation to the older person or group of older people they have helped. Those making nominations are being asked to tell Age UK about the difference the volunteer has made to the wider community and any obstacles they may have overcome.

Helena Herklots, Services Director at Age UK, said: 'Volunteers make a huge difference to older people's lives and can provide a real lifeline. These awards will recognise the valuable time given by volunteers, their contribution to the local community and the truly heart-warming impact they have on people's lives.'

Nominations must be submitted before 25 November 2011. The winners will be invited to an exclusive celebration event in London on 12 December 2011. For more information visit www.ageuk.org.uk/eyv2011, email eyv2011@ageuk.org.uk or call 020 3033 1146.

-ENDS-

Ref: SM/ET/KA/HH

Notes to editors

Media contact: Sarah Scott, Senior Media Officer at Age UK
Telephone: 020 3033 1434
Out of hours: 07071243243
Email: sarah.scott@ageuk.org.uk

Health and Social Care Volunteering Awards

Categories:

• Information and Advice - any service that gives an older person the ability to make informed choices and play a fuller role in their communities e.g. advice about benefits and pensions, legal advice, advocacy.
• Home Services - any service that is delivered at the client's home e.g. befriending, handyperson, gardening.
• Digital Inclusion - any service that enables older people to make the best use of current technology to access or be better informed about health and social services, e.g. IT training, providing advice on using online services.
• Wellbeing Services - any service that improves the physical or mental wellbeing of an older person, whether it be delivered in a hospital, care home, day centre, at home or another location e.g. exercise, art and crafts, befriending, toe-nail clipping.

Age UK

For media enquiries relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland please contact the appropriate national office: Age Scotland on 0131 668 8055, Age Cymru on 029 2043 1562 and Age NI on 028 9024 5729.

Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged, dedicated to improving later life. We provide free information, advice and support to over five million people; commercial products and services to over one million customers; and research and campaign on the issues that matter to people in later life. Our work focuses on five key areas: money matters, health and well being, home and care, work and training and leisure and lifestyle. We work with our national partners, Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI (together the Age UK Family), our local Age UK partners in England and local Age Concerns. We also work internationally for people in later life as a member of the DEC and with our sister charity Help Age International.

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and company number 6825798). Age Concern England and Help the Aged (both registered charities), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group ("we"). Charitable services are offered through Age UK and commercial products are offered by the Charity's trading companies, which donate their net profits to Age UK (the Charity).