Our annual BBF Awards gives us an opportunity to recognise and thank all our wonderful volunteers and ambassadors – from teddy bear knitters and rucksack packers to kind-hearted sponsors and intrepid adventurers.
Every Act of Kindness makes a real difference to BBF.
We are 100% volunteer-led and every penny raised goes into supplying our Buddy Bags. A BIG shoutout to all our supporters during Covid without your continued support we wouldn’t have been able to deliver to the vulnerable children that needed it most!
Thank you to all our volunteers
Each year in the autumn, we recognise some of the people who are so generous with their time and efforts on our behalf. This year we were delighted to be able to return back to our dynamic in-person awards ceremony.
We can’t thank all of our volunteers enough for their help throughout the last 18 months. The COVID-19 pandemic has escalated abuse but thanks to your continued support we have been able to still make a difference, by providing Buddy Bags to the children that need them most.
We are delighted to have been able to recognise and award those special volunteers within our community who have made this possible and a huge thanks to The Lunn Agency (TLA) for sponsoring this year’s awards.
Each and every person who helps in any way, big or small, is so appreciated but the awards night gave us the opportunity to put the spotlight on some of our volunteers who have gone the extra mile.
Congratulations to you all!
The Buddy Bag Foundation Awards 2021
Volunteer of the Year
Our first award, ‘Volunteer of the Year’ went to Julie Thorn which was presented by John Wilson. Unfortunately, Julie couldn’t join us at the awards so Jude Knowles accepted the award on her behalf.
Julie is a member of (Colton WI) who have knitted an amazing 1,080 knitted toys and Julie has knitted over 50% of those, so thank you to Julie, your knitted toys have made a difference to so many children in the UK.
‘Runner-up’ Val Day, for collecting and distributing the toiletry bags and pencil cases kindly donated by volunteers during lockdown, over 4,000 toiletry bags and 1,500 pencil cases made.
Ambassador of the Year
Our ‘Ambassador of the Year’ goes to Sylvia Kerris. Sylvia has been on a mission to collect knitted toys for our Buddy Bags. So far she has collected 4,570 knitted toys as well as toiletry bags and pencil cases.
Thank you Sylvia for all you do to make a difference to children in emergency care.
Big congratulations to runner-up Imogen Allen. Imogen is our newsletter expert and built the new Buddy Bag Foundation website this year. Not only that but she recently shaved her long hair for ‘Imogen’s BIG Shave’ and to date has raised over £5,000 (including Gift Aid) split between BBF, Breast Cancer Now and the Derby & Burton Hospital’s Trust.
Going the Extra Mile
Mark Tonks has won our ‘Going the Extra Mile’ award for his efforts on the ‘Long Walk Home’.
The fundraiser event raised a total of £9,200 split between Pathways Project, Lichfield and BBF. Mark and Team have raised around £49,000 in total since 2016. So thank you to every single one of you for making such a difference.
Runners up are Daniel Mason and Sam Perks for running the Stafford Half Marathon who raised a fantastic £820 total for The Buddy Bag Foundation. Thank you to both of you for making a difference.
Top Fundraiser of the Year
Congratulations and thank you to Rod Hinton and the Warwickshire Freemasons who won this years ‘Top Fundraiser’ award.
The Masons have donated over £12,000 to the Buddy Bag Foundation. We can’t thank you enough for your continued help and support.
Congratulations to Ambassador, Claire Aglen who was this year’s Runner Up.
Corporate Partner of the Year
Congratulations and a HUGE thank you to Graham Johnson from Howell Group Ltd who won this years ‘Corporate Partner of the Year’ award. Providing us with a Buddy Bag Foundation HQ has made such a massive difference to us.
Congratulations also to Sydney Mitchell LLP Solicitors who were this year’s Runner Up
Outstanding Achievement
A HUGE congratulations to Ian Hazel Funerals Ltd who won this years ‘Outstanding Achievement’ award. All Buddy Bag Brigades came to an abrupt end in April 2020 and Ian Hazel donated his conference room so that we could continue to pack Buddy Bags. We managed to hold 28 Brigades in the conference room and pack a whopping 10,080 buddy bags.
Thank you for all that you do for the foundation.
Outstanding Achievement
Congratulations to Pam Beale who won this years ‘Outstanding Achievement’ award. Pam has tirelessly supported the Buddy Bag Foundation since 2015, creating a database of Women’s Refuge Centres, implementing systems and supporting Buddy Bag Brigades.
Thank you for all that you do for the foundation, your continued help and support has made a difference to so many children in the UK.
OBE New Year’s Honours
An incredible achievement for the Buddy Bag Foundation’s founder, Karen Williams, to have been awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours List 2021 for ‘Making a Difference to Domestic Abuse’.
Karen Williams has been recognised by the Queen for her services to victims of domestic abuse. Congratulations to Karen Williams for this honourable award.
Thank you to all our volunteers
Thank you to each and every one of you who have continued to help make a difference to children in emergency care and support The Buddy Bag Foundation.
How to get involved
If you would like to get involved with The Buddy Bag Foundation, giving your time is a wonderfully rewarding way to make a difference.
Our volunteers come from all walks of life and a variety of backgrounds and so everyone has different skills, experiences and networks who may be able to help us.
Whether your donation is time, money or skills, every single contribution of any kind is appreciated by the foundation. Find out more on our volunteer page here and our ways to donate page.
You can get in touch with us via our application form on the website here.
