Rugby Football Union
We were delighted to hold this event at Truro RFC on the occasion of Cornwall Women’s Gill Burns Cup match against Hampshire Women.
As ever it was inspiring to hear the stories behind our valued volunteers and all the hard work they put in at their clubs.
Pictured just a few of our worthy award winners.
Congratulations to everyone who picked up an award.
The Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards 2024 recognise volunteers for their achievements over the past 12 months.
We want to celebrate all the volunteers who help make rugby happen, whether on the pitch or behind the scenes, and hear about those who make your club or organisation great.
Nominate your volunteers here.(opens in a new tab)
There are so many outstanding volunteers who have really made a difference and the Honda Volunteer of the Year awards provide a great opportunity to say thank you. Find out about last year’s winners here.(opens in a new tab)
This year’s awards include four categories:
Unsung Hero:
An individual or group of volunteers who have gone above and beyond to support the delivery of Rugby
Game for All:
An individual or group of volunteers who have developed an inspiring offer to open the game up to new audiences
Connecting the Community:
An individual or group of volunteers who have gone out of their way to strengthen the club offer within the local community, whether on-field or off
Game Changer:
An individual or group of volunteers who have tried new ways of doing things to improve their club.
Not sure which category to nominate them for? There’s always the option to submit an open nomination. So why not get involved today and say thank you to the exceptional people who make rugby happen!
Nominate your volunteers here.(opens in a new tab)
Nominations close on Friday 16 February (17.00) and If you have any queries regarding the volunteer recognition programme please email VolunteerRecognition@RFU.com
Chair of Competitions with the CRFU Lee Maher recently attended a Honda Volunteer Recognition Lunch at Twickenham.
This was to acknowledge the work accomplished by Lee to support competitions and to assist development opportunities to engage more players.
Well done Lee who is pictured above with other CB participants and outgoing RFU President Nigel Gillingham.
Our second round of presentations took place at Camborne RFC on the occasion of Cornwall’s Bill Beaumont Cup match with Kent last Saturday. CRFU President John Sumnall making the pesentations.
Pictured above are the group from St. Austell RFC receiving their awards, Steve Murley, Tich Preston, Paul Hayes, Ian Grantham and Lesley Bennett.
Above Truro RFC members Phil Sleeman and Graham Trescothick received their awards under the Unsung Hero Award, whilst Stacey Newson, the Game for All Award.
Above Marc Dennis (Penryn Ladies Coach) receives his award in the Unsung Hero category.
Jo Bailey from St. Austell receives her Unsung Hero Award
Mike Allen (Illogan Park RFC) receives his Unsung Hero Award
In collaboration with England Rugby and Honda, Cornwall RFU is delighted to announce:
Nominations for the Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards will open 16 January 2023 and
will recognise an outstanding individual or group of volunteers for 2022 – 2023.
The Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards will help to recognise and celebrate volunteers for
their achievements and efforts, both on and off the field, over the last 12 months.
This opportunity to recognise volunteers has been made possible thanks to the partnership
with Honda and their support for volunteering in the grassroots game through the Honda
Volunteer Recognition Programme.
Speaking about the awards, RFU President Nigel Gillingham OBE said: “I am delighted that
through the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme, we can recognise the exceptional
work that has gone into supporting Rugby Clubs over the past year. There are so many
outstanding volunteers who have really made a difference and the Honda Volunteer of the
Year awards provides a great opportunity to say thank you.
Jean-Marc Streng, President, Honda UK said: “Honda was built upon the Power of Dreams,
that same challenging spirit can be found in abundance at local Rugby clubs up and down
the country. Honda UK is proud to help recognise the volunteers who work tirelessly to
support their local Rugby communities.”
This year you can nominate either an individual, or a group of volunteers, across one or
more of the following categories:
Game for All
Unsung Hero
Challenging Spirit
Nominations close on Friday 24th February (17.00).
To nominate or find out more about the Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards, visit
www.englandrugby.com/participation/volunteers/honda-volunteer-recognition-
programme/how-to-nominate.
For further details, please contact:
Tom Magill
Cornwall RFU
Chair Club Development Committee
tommagill@btinternet.com
07592710798
On the occasion of the county game at Redruth on Saturday against Hampshire. Cornwall RFU made it’s presentations to the winners from Cornwall in this year’s Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards.
The overall winner from Cornwall was Paul Duval from Helston RFC. Paul has been a lynch-pin at Helston over many seasons and has recently got the Womens and Girls section of the club up and running. Paul will be heading off to Twickenham for a black-tie dinner later in the year.
Honda Volunteer of the Year Award, Wadebridge Camel’s Daubroy Delahunty shares his day at Twickenham
Volunteers are one of the most valuable assets within the rugby community. Often offering time, effort, experience, and support to continue the community game. The Honda Volunteer of the year award helps thank those who dedicate their time and effort to the continuation of the sport. Rugby union has a long and proud tradition of thanking volunteers. Encouraging these traditions at clubs and Constituent Bodies helps maintain the ethos of the game we love. Ahead of the Guinness Six Nations home fixtures, each Constituent Body is invited to nominate a volunteer to attend an England home fixture with a guest of their choice.
The day started with a welcome and a guided tour around the rugby museum. After having ago at the various interactive activities and showcasing my vertical jump or lack thereof, we continued with a pitchside tour, visited the coach’s area and royal seating and were met by the RFU president, who thanked the collective for their continued work within the community.
After visiting the president’s lounge and pre-lunch introductions, we had a lovely three-course meal that Alan Milliner, RFU council member, hosted. I was lucky enough to be invited to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge into Twickenham along with three other people. After grabbing a quick pint, we arrived just in time for the kick-off to watch the game.
After the final whistle, we meet up again with Alan to discuss the game and experience the Fan Zone and debrief on the game as you often do. After listening to live music, we departed to the Twickenham Marriot.
The work volunteers do isn’t for the plaudits or recognition it’s simply because the individual is passionate to help put back into the game that has helped develop them.
Being invited to HQ to participate in the Honda Volunteer of the year award scheme was a humbling experience. I appreciate there are so many outstanding volunteers out there who I was representing from fellow volunteers at Wadebridge and across the county.
The effort and attention to detail those at the RFU put into the day were incredible, from the hotel to the schedule nothing was left to chance. The other volunteers and myself were thoroughly catered to and looked after. I must also thank Alan and Max for their hospitality and generosity throughout the day.
Being able to represent CRFU at the home of English Rugby and to welcome royalty is something I will always treasure.
I would encourage every club to take this opportunity to nominate and put people forward for a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Honda is now sponsor of the RFU Volunteer awards and it is important that all clubs recognise those who make our rugby possible and I would therefore urge all club management committees to make this an agenda item and forward names of those volunteers who consider the merit of an award for this rugby year.
Those forwarded should not have been nominated in the past two (2) years.
The Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards 2022 will recognise and celebrate volunteers across Rugby for their achievements and efforts over the past 12 months, both on and off the field.
To reflect the challenges that clubs have faced and recognise the outstanding contribution that volunteers have made to both their rugby clubs and the wider community, this year’s national awards programme will focus on three specific categories:
Nominations can be made for an individual, or a team of volunteers within a club, who have gone above and beyond over the course of the past 12 months.
Please read the description of each award in full before submitting your nomination.
Nominations will open from Monday 10th January and will close at 9am on Monday 28 February.
Those who have been shortlisted to attend the national final will be notified by the end of June and will be invited to an awards ceremony at Twickenham in September where the winners of each category will be announced
Aim of Award
This award will recognise an individual, or group of rugby volunteers, who have gone above and beyond over the past 12 months to provide positive experiences & ensure their club/referee society is fit for the future.
Award Summary
This award is looking to recognise those who have gone above and beyond and have shown a willingness to try their hand at whatever was needed to support the club over the past 12 months, demonstrating a positive, can-do attitude to overcoming challenges and developing innovative ways to sustain their club. This could be through helping to recruit and retain players, volunteers and officials or someone who is often found working ‘behind the scenes’ to support the future sustainability of the club.
Aim of Award
This award will recognise an individual, or group of rugby volunteers, who have made an outstanding contribution and had significant impact within their local community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Award Summary
This award is open to those who have gone above and beyond to engage and support their local community, while also providing a platform for the development and growth of the club/referee society. This could be through raising money, providing use of the club facilities, working in partnership with other community organisations or supporting local charities. Ultimately using the power of rugby to bring their community together.
Aim of Award
This award will recognise volunteers either individually, or as part of a team, who have provided an inspiring and diverse offer, to open the game up to new audiences and make the game more accessible for all.
Award Summary
This award will recognise those who have shown outstanding commitment in developing and delivering an inspiring offer to open the game up to new audiences and make the game more accessible for all. This could be through improving accessibility for participants from ethnically diverse communities, delivering initiatives to overcome barriers for those from lower socio-economic groups, driving work forwards to support increased LGBT+ participation in rugby or delivering mixed ability rugby
If you want to recognise a volunteer, or a group of volunteers, who have gone above and beyond over the past 12 months you can nominate by using the form below.
Nominations close at 9am Monday 28 February 2022
If you have any queries regarding the completion of this form please contact volunteerrecognition@rfu.com
We’ve put together some top tips to consider when writing the application:
Our President, John Sumnall was delighted to be able, at long last due to covid restrictions, make the Mitsubishi Volunteer award to Stithians RFC’s Matt Reckner.
Matt worked tirelessly, with others, to turn the club around when it went through a difficult period some 18 months ago.
Well done Matt and “Up the Village!”
Community
The past 12 months have presented big challenges to rugby clubs. However, while they have not been able to get together, train or play for much of the time, they have found innovative ways of keeping members engaged and many have been supporting the NHS and their local communities.
The Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer awards, in the fifth year, recognised volunteers’ efforts across three categories: Beyond Rugby, Resilience in Rugby, and Diversity and Inclusion.
A celebratory event at Twickenham Stadium saw the finalists enjoy an afternoon event pitch side, followed by dinner in the Spirit of Rugby, where winners were announced.
Scott Lake of Veor-Holman RFC, who won the Beyond Rugby category thanks to organising initiatives to help local charities. This included club support for the local food bank, a fun day raising money for a children’s charity, a Christmas present giveaway for children in local hospitals and much more. Through Scott’s hard work the club is now embedded within their local community, and the donations have made a huge difference for many people.
Charlotte Wootton of Wymondham RFC, who won the Resilience in Rugby category, having been instrumental in ensuring that her club were able to continue operating during the pandemic. Charlie worked tirelessly to keep the club afloat, ensuring it was a safe environment, with regulations adhered to and the facilities kept well maintained to generate much needed revenue. Appointed as volunteer co-ordinator just before the pandemic, Charlie also successfully built a group volunteers ready to support the club as rugby returned.
Kat Salthouse of East London RFC, who won the Diversity & Inclusion category. As the club’s women’s representative and diversity and inclusion champion on the club’s management committee, she reinforced their commitment towards inclusive rugby. Kat has made sure that members are supported and diversity is celebrated. She was also one of the driving forces behind the innovative partnership with Kings Cross Steelers, which has seen the delivery of joint events to introduce the game to those who may not have played before.
Said RFU President, Jeff Blackett, who presented the awards on the night: “It was a real pleasure to be able to thank all of our final outstanding volunteers. Every one of the 52 volunteers recognised have given up huge amounts of their time for others and they represent the 100,000 volunteers who do so much for our sport. Our three Volunteers of the Year richly deserve their awards and I hope that they enjoy being guests with their partners at one of Twickenham’s autumn internationals. They are a fine example of all who have kept their clubs going during the pandemic.”
