Volunteer of the Year

The award for Volunteer of the Year 2012, went to Marcia Haley from All Souls Church in Hackney, who has been involved with the church for ten years. Alongside working for The GAP Project with women who self-harm, Marcia runs weekly sessions which provide a safe place for young people to talk and be honest, focusing less on content and more on listening. She was nominated for ‘exceptional week-in, week-out dedication to the young people in her area’. This is her story:

"It’s strange to receive an award for doing something that I love. I love working with young people, and so that’s what I’ve been doing in my church. It’s a difficult time of life for teenagers and so I’m very keen to support them through the challenges they face, especially living in such a tough community. It’s not easy for them and many of them have tricky family circumstances. I just really enjoy having the opportunity to offer them somewhere where they can get some support and be encouraged. My particular passion is helping young people feel good about themselves; within the context of the church this is about introducing them to a loving God who really cares about them and is interested in every aspect of their lives."