National Volunteer Award 2014
The National Volunteer Award was organised for the fourth consecutive time by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector. This year the Award was held under the patronage of H.E. the President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. This year the National Volunteer was complimented by another three new awards which were the Youth Volunteer Award, the Volunteer Organisation Award and the Corporate Volunteering Award.
The aim of the National Awards is to give broad recognition to the service done by the volunteers and Voluntary Organisations within the community, create awareness of the exemplary values displayed by the volunteers and organisations with the goal of locating role models for youth and wider society; and to recognise the important contributions made in various fields.
The Award Ceremony was held on the 9th of December 2014 at the Presidential Palace where the Awards were presented by H.E. the President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca accompanied by Mr. Nathan Farrugia, Chairperson of the Malta Council of the Voluntary Sector.
The National Volunteer Award is aimed to award individual volunteer who has contributed in any field, such as social, humanitarian, health, ecological, cultural, education, sports, etc. The voluntary work must have had a positive contribution towards a particular field and should ideally have served as an inspiration to others. This year’s National Volunteer Award went to Ms. Gemma Sirol who has been a volunteer since the age of 11 years. She has been an active member since 1967 and currently she is the Commissioner of St. John Ambulance, serving also as a volunteer in various committees both in her local community and also on Government Boards.
The Volunteer Organisation Award which is awarded to a Voluntary Organisation who has been outstanding in the sector in which it operates, being both innovative in its approach and services within the community as well as in its way of recruiting and supporting volunteers, was awarded to Hospice Malta. Hospice Malta provides palliative care services to patients suffering from cancer, Motor Neuron Disease, end of life respiratory, cardiac and renal disease. Through continual improvement and investment in its resources, Hospice Malta aspires to continue providing high quality end of life care and Bereavement support. Volunteers at Hospice Malta are an integral part of the Organization as it cannot function without the input of the over 200 volunteers who are involved in all sectors of the Organization.
The Youth Volunteer Award which is awarded to a Volunteer between the age of 16 and 30 years and is aimed to promote volunteering amongst young people was awarded to Mr. Gabriel Hammet who is a volunteer with the St John Ambulance and who dedicates most of his free time to cover as many duties as possible sometimes attending to more than one duty on the same day even when call on short notice.
The last award was the Corporate Volunteering Award which is intended to award that Company or Organisation coming from the Private Sector which has given tangible support to the Voluntary Sector, both by direct support as well as by supporting and facilitating its employees to volunteer. This Award went to HSBC Malta Bank p.l.c who as an employer encourages employees to become more involved in the community as volunteers and supports them in these efforts. It involves creating a work environment where volunteer activity is valued and encouraged, with a belief in community relations, aiming to have a good understanding of community issues and is senstive to comunity needs.
During this event, which was presented by Ms. Fiorella Pace, singer Kurt Cassar interpreted three songs, one of which was the song ‘Inservi’, dedicated to volunteering. Musician Michelle Paris also gave a beautiful display on the Celtic Harp, with a repertoir of music varying from local traditional songs to Christmas carols.
National Volunteer Award 2014 Nominees
The National Volunteer Award 2014 Nominees:
Mr. Joe Bartolo – Ghaqda Filantropika Talent Mosti
Ms. Cossie Bugeja – INSPIRE
Ms. Gemma Sirol – St John Ambulance Malta
Mr. Anthony Edward Guillaumier – Richmond Foundation
Mr. John Paul Vella – Missionaries of Charity
Fr. Pierre Grech Marguerat – Transplant Support Group Malta
Mr. Joesph Cutajar – Cathedral Public Library
Ms. Jane Galea – Moviment Missjunarju Gesu fil-Proxxmu
Mr. Kevin Casha – Malta Institute of Professional Photography
Mr. Paul Buttigieg – Moviment Harsien Hondoqq
Mr. Alfred Debattista – Transplant Support Group Malta
Ms. Irene Schembri – Malta Health Network
Mr. Andrew Micallef – League of Young Voter Malta
Ms. Karenb Goode – Nature Trust Malta
Mr. Alastiar Farrugia – Multiple Sclerosis Society
Mr. Michael Bonnici – Friends of the National Archive
The Youth Volunteer Award 2014 Nominees:
Mr. Gabriel Hammet – St John Ambulance Malta
Mr. John Paul Vella – Missionaries of Charity
Mr. Glen Chircop – Fondazzjoni Nazareth
Mr. Andrew Micallef – League of Young Voters Malta
The Volunteer Organisation Award 2014 Nominees:
EuroGeorgia Malta
Victoria Scout Group
Hospice Malta
Island Sanctuary of Malta
St Jeanne Antide Foundation
Dr. Klown
Solidarity Overseas Services (SOS) Malta
St John Ambulance
LifeCycle Foundation
The Emergency Fire and Rescue Unit (EFRU)
Fondazzjoni Nazareth
Arthritis and Rheumatism Association (ARAM)
The Corporate Volunteering Award 2014 Nominees:
HSBC Malta Bank p.l.c