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Volunteer of the Year
PRIDE OF READING 2022
Volunteer of the Year
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WINNER: GRASSROOTZ LED BY KELVIN HUSBANDS SPONSORED BY A.B. WALKER
An individual or team engaged in diverse and challenging tasks, or simply who have stepped up when needed
KELVIN Husbands created GrassRootz working with the support of volunteers, and was joined by James Pile at the awards ceremony, as well as one of the group’s young mentors.
Kelvin said that winning the award was “just amazing – coming from what we started off with to where it’s grown to be is unreal.
“We do it through the love of it and when people see what we’re doing and recognise it, it’s just beyond words.”
James said that he hoped it would “inspire the young people to be completely proud of their club, proud of who they are, and proud of what they can achieve.”
Speaking of those who nominated the club, Kelvin said: “Just a big thank you to them – we got a lot of nominations and it goes to show the impact we’re having.
“They are building a new housing estate in Coley Park, and some of the young people asked for one of the roads to be named after GrassRootz.
“It just makes me up with tears every time I think about it, the fact that our actions have had such an impact on them.”
Since the establishment of
GrassRootz in Coley in early 2020, the team has gone on to open youth clubs in
Caversham and in Whitley.
“And it’s not even the winning,” Kelvin says, “it’s the fact that the people who we’re helping think so highly of what we’re doing and they really rely on us.
“We never imagined something like this for us.”
The club provides opportunities to take part in crafts and activities, as well as a safe space to learn new skills and socialise, at the Milestone Centre.
“We’re self-funded, and we didn’t have a plan of action – It was just that the kids need something, and we’re the ones to deliver it.
“But from here it’s inspired me to think about how we could keep building it – we want to be back here every year to showcase some of the young people and our volunteers.”
Kelvin and James were also joined by one of the club’s members, Tai Vaughn, as they attended to collect the award.
“We brought Tai, one of our young mentors just to show that you can achieve anything, Because I would never have thought that we could be here.
“It shows that there’s people like us, who come from the same area as them, went to the same school, who can do something like this.
“Hopefully it will be inspiring.”
Tai said that GrassRootz was “a big confidence booster,” and that he’d come up from being introverted, even antisocial.
“It helped me get out of that bubble, meet new people, and connect with them – it helped me a lot.
“And in every aspect, allowing me to go and do things that I couldn’t do, talk to people that I couldn’t talk to before.”
Kelvin said that the club owed its thanks to all of its staff: “I can’t be one man doing that, so I don’t want to forget about anyone.
A.B. Walker
A.B. Walker works at the heart of the community and we are proud to be sponsoring the Pride of Reading Volunteer/s of the Year Award again this year.
We help families and the bereaved through a difficult time, showing respect, compassion and professionalism. Being a local, independent family business, we recognise the importance teamwork as well as the dedication of individuals. This approach applies equally to the volunteer network and the award allows us to celebrate all those who have freely given their time, skills and passion as a volunteer to benefit others.
Each year we are inspired by the stories of those nominated and the impact they have had.
abwalker.co.uk
“All of the staff, as well as Caversham’s Milestone, Hexham, and Coley Park, and all the volunteers, the parent volunteers, everyone that supports all the young people, everyone that gives their time out, and the young mentors.”
“And lastly, to Amanda and Stuart Stevens, who have been big advocates of ours, and to Moses from Give Back FC.”
Congratulations to everyone celebrated at the Pride of Reading Awards 2022
THE FUNERAL PEOPLE
