![The Hospice UK Awards celebrate the innovative work taking place in hospices and palliative care organisations across the UK, and the people involved with them](https://hospiceuk-files-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/introduction_small/public/2022-05/hospice-uk-awards.jpg?h=9bf51baa&itok=6qv06BPo)
Anne, Duchess of Norfolk Volunteer of the Year Award
![The Hospice UK Awards celebrate the innovative work taking place in hospices and palliative care organisations across the UK, and the people involved with them](https://hospiceuk-files-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/introduction_small/public/2022-05/hospice-uk-awards.jpg?h=9bf51baa&itok=6qv06BPo)
The Anne, Duchess of Norfolk Volunteer of the Year award is given in recognition of the dedication and commitment made by an individual to their local hospice or palliative care organisation.
The winner is announced annually at the Hospice UK National Conference.
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About this award
We know that volunteers are invaluable to hospices across the UK.
The Anne, Duchess of Norfolk Volunteer of the Year Award recognises this very special contribution to hospice care that is made each year by dedicated individuals.
We would like hear from you if you have a volunteer at your hospice whose working practices have enhanced your organisation, inspired others with their values and commitment or has delivered quantifiable benefits to hospice care.
Nominate a volunteer for your hospice today to celebrate the impact of their role at our National Conference.
The Award is named in honour of Anne, Duchess of Norfolk, founder and former co-chair of Hospice UK (then called Help the Hospices), who died in 2013.
What the judges are looking for
We suggest you include the following information your nomination:
- Why is this person being nominated?
- How many years have they been volunteering?
- What is the impact of their commitment locally, nationally and internationally – where this is relevant.
This award incorporates volunteers of all ages.
General Criteria and Guidance
Read our submission criteria and general guidance before you submit an entry.
Entries for the 2024 Hospice UK Awards will open on 1 July 2024.
Enter now
The deadline for submitting entries and nominations is 5pm on Monday 9 September 2024.
The winners will be announced at our National Conference in Glasgow from 26-28 November 2024
Previous winners
Find out more about previous winners of the Volunteer of the Year Award.
![Jess Sheridan, Dorothy House Hospice, was the winner of the 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award](https://hospiceuk-files-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/video_cta_small/public/2023-11/jess-sheridan-dorothy-house-hospice-volunteer-of-year-award-winner-2023-hospiceuk.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=ZBm9QgjC)
Winner - 2023
Jess Sheridan, Dorothy House Hospice
19-year-old Jess is a Young People’s Ambassador for Dorothy House Hospice who shows remarkable commitment using her personal experience to champion the hospice’s work. She supports children from local schools talking with them about her experience of grief and bereavement.
By describing the catastrophic effect of losing her mum as a teenager and its impact on her academic career and her personal life, Jess has been able to offer advice to other bereaved young people, acting as a role model and helping them to connect and support each other.
As Young People’s Ambassador for the hospice Jess has taken opportunities to speak to the Mayor of Bath about her work, and the Daily Mail about her experience of childhood bereavement and her role.
The Awards Panel, who were unanimous in their selection, commented: “We are thrilled and moved to recognise Jess’s achievement on becoming a Young Ambassador. Thank you, Jess, for your dedication and hard work.”
![Winner of the Volunteer of the Year award at the 2022 Hospice UK awards is from Hospiscare Exeter: Mary Bolshaw](https://hospiceuk-files-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/video_cta_small/public/2022-12/mary_bolshaw_vol_of_year-hospiceuk-awards-2022.jpg?h=ddc58dd3&itok=tcY7U_n6)
Winner - 2022
Hospiscare Exeter: Mary Bolshaw
Mary’s nomination for Volunteer of the Year stood out to the judges for both the dedication and breadth of her service as a volunteer for Hospiscare, and Chair of Honiton and District Friends of Hospiscare.
Mary was a founding member of the Hospiscare family and has dedicated over 45 years to the charity. She has worked tirelessly to support the hospice in a huge variety of ways, from monthly coffee mornings to Christmas lunches, from volunteering at reception to driving patients to appointments, from providing and delivering home-cooked meals during Covid to organising afternoon teas.
Judges added, “the financial contribution of raising over £1.1 million is a huge achievement, but we were equally struck by how much time and energy she has poured into caring for her community through the hospice. We’re delighted to choose Mary Bolshaw for this award”.
Winner - 2021
Sheila Miller’s commitment to St Gemma’s Hospice, Leeds, is inspiring.
With over 20 years of volunteering, Sheila’s passion and commitment were evident, providing voluntary spiritual care, bereavement support, befriending and fundraising support - especially through the COVID period.
Sheila has been compassionate not only to patients and families receiving support at the hospice, but to her colleagues and support staff that needed to talk during difficult times.
Sheila’s thoughtfulness, including buying food and supplies for hospice staff during the height of the pandemic, is not to be understated.