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PRIDE OF READING SPONSORS

Volunteer Corner

Reading Voluntary Action

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THE British Red Cross has been helping millions of people in the UK and around the world get the support they need when a crisis strikes.

Right now they are seeking a Customer Service Volunteer in their Thames Valley Area branch.

If you enjoy being in an office environment, are compassionate and like meeting people then this could be the role for you.

This vital service enables people to maintain their independence and quality of life after an illness or injury.

Whether it is to help take a relative out, or take a child to school, it makes a difficult and distressing time a little bit easier.

Enrych Berkshire is a Registered Charity that provides support to people with a disability, helping them get access to leisure, social and learning activities.

They are currently seeking a female volunteer to help one of their female members that uses a wheelchair to go out and visit places again.

You could be the person that builds their confidence.

And of course there are many more volunteer opportunities with Enrych Berkshire that helps even more people one-on-one, ranging from just being a person to lend an ear or being a volunteer that assists in taking them to social events.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the leading dementia and Alzheimer’s disease research charity and they are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join their Cheer Squad at Endure 24 Reading 2022.

They want you, your family and your friends to cheer as loud as you can to give their #TeamARUK runners and all the other runners a boost as they go past, encouraging them to keep going and helping them achieve their goals.

The Endure 24 Reading 2022 is a one-off 24 hour event taking place on Saturday, June 18, Sunday, June 19.

Volunteers will be able to pick from four sixhour slots available.

n Take a look at our brand new Reading Volunteer Connect platform for details of these and many more opportunities to volunteer via our website, www.rgneeds.me. Want to get in touch? Drop us an email at volunteering@rva.org.uk or call 0118 937 2273.

Meet the companies who

Creamn design: Fundraiser of the yuear Cream Design: Fundraiser of the Year

CREAM Design is supporting Fundraiser of the Year, which celebrates an individual or organisation that has shown outstanding skills or dedication to fundraising.

Helen Waring, account director at Cream Design (pictured with BBC presenter Matt Allwright), says: “Pride of Reading is our favourite day of the year.”

Senior designer Andy Taplin said that Cream was a big support of charities.

“We work with a lot of charities and organisations, and we see that income streams for them are really important,” he said.

“And it’s really fascinating to see new ways to raise money for family members, and charities more generally.”

Ms Waring agreed: “Cream is very community based in that way, we like being right in the centre.

“We’ve worked with organisations like Launchpad, the Reading FC Former Players Association, Berkshire Youth, and Berkshire Vision.

“And it’s so nice to be able to give something back.”

Mr Taplin said that though Reading has much to boast of, some of it goes unnoticed.

“It’s quite nice being the largest town, it’s not one of those showing-off kind of places,” he said.

“There’s so much great stuff that goes on here that just goes under the radar.”

“A lot of great people do brilliant work here, doing brilliant things, that don’t get showcased.”

Cream Design were the recipients of the Business in Action award in 2016, where it was celebrated for more than 20 years of commitment to the community.

Now the company is continuing to lend its support with the sponsorship of the Fundraiser of the Year Category.

IKEA: Gifts and prizes support

Reading Buses: Employee of the Year

IKEA is among the supporters who are continuing to help the Pride of Reading awards, providing gifts and prizes to the event.

Matt Snape, marketing specialist at IKEA, said: “It was amazing to be here at the launch of the 2022 Pride of Reading awards.

“It feels great to be part of the community, being involved supporting people.

“And I think for us as one of the supporters and previous sponsors, it’s really exciting for us to find out the theme.”

This year’s awards have been given the theme of celebrations.

He explained: “Because we supply a lot of the gifts, it’s really good to know what the theme so we can tailor it to match that.

“It’s a really exciting thing that we can then come together as a store and start brainstorming what can we do and what we can bring.”

IKEA has sponsored categories at the awards for a number of years following its first sponsorship in 2017.

When the awards returned after the pandemic last year, IKEA had moved to a supporting role.

Mr Snape said: “Pride of Reading is such a great organisation, that even though we’re not directly sponsoring, we still have made it very apparent that we still want to support and be a part of the community.”

“And the fact that they’re accepting that and saying that that’s fine, they still want us to come on board, it’s great to feel a part of the bigger picture.”

READING Buses is sponsoring the Employee of the Year award at this year’s Pride of Reading Awards.

Laurence Jenkins, finance director at Reading Buses, said: “It’s something that we’re extremely proud to support, and we’ve sponsored the employee award for a number of years.

“We’re one of the biggest employers in the town, and we recognise that the amazing things that employees of various organisations and companies in the town achieve and deliver .”

The company was founded in 1901, and has come to be part of the town’s identity.

“Reading Buses has been the heart of the community for over 100 years, now.

“We consider ourselves to be part of the fabric of Reading, so we love to support Reading and showcase it to the rest of the UK in the world.”

Reading Buses was given a Pride of Reading Award in 2017, winning the Business in Action award in recognition of its community work, charity fundraising, and focus on environmental targets.

“We love being here, keeping the town connected, keeping the key workers in the town connected,” said Mr Jenkins.

Reading Buses has worked to make their services greener, with a number of them making use of biofuels or hybrid buses.

Currently all of its buses meet Euro VI standards, meaning a significantly reduced effect on air quality in the town.

“We like to do things a bit differently,” Mr Jenkins said, “and we like to offer a bit extra to our customers, too, because we feel they’re worth it.”

Meet the companies who help Pride of Reading

McDonalds sponsors Inspiration Award

Tesco: Gifts and prizes sponsor

Mental Health Champion: Funky Barnet, Kool Kidz Kutz and Premier & Angels School of Motoring

MCDONALDS returns as the sponsor for the Inspiration award, now for the third time.

The award which recognises someone who has inspired a community initiative or inspired others to do the same.

It can also recognise someone who is a positive role model for young people in the town.

Richard Forte, brand franchisee, said: “It’s great to be here, since we got together last year for the awards a bit later than planned.

“But it feels really good to be planning the Pride of Reading awards from the start of the year.”

“This is our third year of sponsoring the awards and it’s really nice to celebrate and see people from around the town, and hear some great stories.

“It’s great walking up to the Select Car Leasing Stadium each year for the awards ceremony, knowing that you’re going to have an afternoon of celebration, which is this year’s theme.”

With this year’s theme of celebration, Mr Forte says that he appreciates the event’s atmosphere almost as much as its aims.

“But the Pride of Reading Awards encapsulates and provides the best platform to recognise people’s achievements, for those unsung heroes.

“The nominees don’t do what they do because of the awards, so it’s great way of surprising people and when you recognise it’s very heartfelt.

“And that’s what communities do, they do things like that without expecting to be recognised or given any awards.”

TESCO is sponsoring the Pride of Reading Awards, providing prizes and gifts for the ceremony, which will take place in December.

It is the second year in a row that they have supported the event after it returned last year.

Emma McLaren, lead manager at Tesco, and Amal Narayanasamy, store manager, attended the launch event, with Ms McLaren saying: “It is an incredible event.

“And such a humbling experience to see all these people that do such an amazing things all come together.

“So we reached out to the Pride of Reading Award to see if we can support in any way shape or form.”

Tesco has worked with charities and food banks across Reading, with Tesco Community Grant.

In 2019, it gave its support to Sport in Mind, granting £10,000 to help it provide help to those struggling with mental health.

Earlier this year, it short-listed a number of community projects for further funding, including Hawkedon School in Lower Earley which put in a bid for £1,000 to help build play equipment for students.

Also nominated are the Faith Christian Group, which runs a number of support services in Reading, as well as the Reading Sea Cadets.

“With the thousands and thousands of people that live in Reading, it can still feel like such a small community, so helping each other out, and to be a part of that is just an amazing feeling.”

THIS year’s sponsors for the Mental Health Champion are the Funky Barnet, Kool Kidz Kutz, and Premier & Angels School of Motoring.

The award celebrates an individual or organisation who has that has helped people, especially the young, cope with mental problems.

Lynne Pyke (pictured with Prideo of Reading launch host Matt Whitelock) owns all three of the businesses.

She said the companies wished to get involved with Pride of Reading for this award because of recent events: “Particularly over the pandemic, that lack of socialising, it was very difficult,” she explained.

“And that leads to so many people suffering with their mental health.

“It can mean struggling with anxiety, social interaction, bullying, really anything can affect it.”

Ms Pyke said that she had a lot of experience of seeing others struggling with their mental health, both personally close to her, and through her professional outlets.

She wanted to support the category specifically as a result.

“I asked to sponsor mental health, since we see people struggling with mental health all the time,

“And we see what it does to people.”

She says also that those struggles can often be hard to identify, with many hiding them.

“They can keep a lot of it in, and little do we know that they’re crying and hurting,

“And days later, it might be too late – that’s what we see it doing to people.”

Someone who has inspired a community initiative or inspired others to do the same. Or simply someone who is a positive role model for young people

Cultural Contribution, sponsored by M&G Real Estate

To raise the profile of, and give recognition to the projects, people and organisations that contribute to the cultural life of Reading, covering music, drama, art and heritage.

School of the Year, sponsored by Qwerty

For exceptional achievement, open to nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Reading.

Community Champion, sponsored by Reading Football Club

Someone who works tirelessly in their community as an individual, in the voluntary sector, as a carer, for a community group or in public service who devotes their time for others

Local Hero, sponsored by Green Park

Someone who, through a special act of kindness or bravery, has made a positive difference to their community.

Charity of the Year, sponsored by ROC Search

Recognising a local charity or community group that has made an amazing impact to our community through partnership working with businesses, other charities and the public sector to further its cause.

Business in Action (under 50) and (over 50), sponsored by Boyes Turner

Companies, large or small, who get involved in community work. There are two awards for firms with under 50 and over 50 employees.

Employee of Year, sponsored by Reading Buses

An employee who goes the extra mile for their firm or customer.

Child of Courage, sponsored by IQVIA

The town’s bravest youngster. Some become heroic lifesavers; others demonstrate courage through battling illness or other difficult circumstances. We want to hear about these amazing under 16-year-olds.

The Chris Tarrant Pride of Reading Award, sponsored by The Oracle

Someone from Reading who deserves special recognition.

Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by Macbeth Insurance

Enterprise award for an individual or group with a business venture in Reading – and the judges especially want to hear from those who think the town has helped them achieve their goals

Fundraiser of the Year, sponsored by Cream Design

An individual or organisation that has shown outstanding skills or dedication to fundraising

Volunteer/Volunteers of the Year, sponsored by AB Walker

An individual or team engaged in diverse and challenging tasks, or simply who have stepped up when needed.

Mental Health Champion, sponsored by Lynne Pyke

An individual or organisation that has helped people, especially young people, cope with problems

Community of the Year, Hilton Reading

A neighbourhood that has encouraged community spirit and by working together have made their area a better place to live and thrive. This could be a street, a community group or a residents’ association. n Nominate at porawards.co.uk

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