We are delighted to announce the shortlisted nominees for this year's Volunteer Awards.
Announcing the 2025 Volunteer Awards Shortlist
Integrity
Jane Francis (Treletert/Letterston Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care)
Jane was one of the three founder members of Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care Treletert/Letterston group since its launch in 1993.
She has been a Treasurer since this time and although her role is coming to an end, Jane is determined to remain a supportive and faithful committee member. Jane has always carried out her role with integrity and honesty over those 32 years and has earned the trust and respect of her colleagues and the wider community. Her longstanding and faithful contribution to Tenovus Cancer Care will be an extremely hard act to follow.
Gill Morton (Community Champion)
Gill Morton is the true embodiment of integrity, compassion, and dedication in volunteering for the charity for the past 10 years. Inspired by the support she received during her own cancer journey; her contribution is vast. A member of a Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care group; Sing with Us Bangor choir and a stalwart fundraiser for them; a trusted member of the All-Wales Cancer Community Steering Group; offering emotional support for those affected by cancer as a Tele-friends volunteer. Gill also supports the Community Engagement team by delivering talks about Tenovus Cancer Care in the local community and attending and assisting at numerous events throughout the region.
Emma Borrinton (Corporate fundraiser)
A great support to the Tenovus Cancer Care fundraising team, Emma earns respect and trust in her wide-ranging volunteer role and is always getting stuck in from event organising, to supporting with special events thanks to her extensive knowledge and advice. She encourages staff at the firm of solicitors where she works to sign up to all sorts of challenges such as the Cardiff Half Marathon, Gala dinners, making each one a success, due to her passion and drive. So, a big thank you to Emma for all your time, effort and honest words of advice.
Supportive
Alan Bagshaw (Clifton Street Shop)
Alan has been one of our longest shop volunteers having served customers for 20 years at the Clifton Street shop, keeping the tills ringing. Having been nominated for all his hard work, Alan steps in and opens-up and covers other shops when they are short staffed, often getting up early and crossing town on various busses to ensure he is there when needed. Alan has also recently become a Community Engagement Volunteer attending community events and spreading the word about our services.
Sarah Forbes-Warren and Lou Llett (Community Champions)
Sarah and Lou were two of the early volunteers trained as community engagement champions. Having attended nearly 20 events in the last year, they have shared information about the charity’s support services in the communities, ranging from health and wellbeing events. They are a great pair, and their warmth means they can talk to people in a relaxed and approachable way. Their personal experiences of the charity’s services are so important in giving help, hope and a voice in their local community.
Dee Kennedy (Gloucester Road 2 shop)
Dee is one of most amazingly dedicated volunteers. She has been serving in the Bristol shop twice a week, every week, for the past 16 years. Always kind, careful in her merchandising and super supportive and caring of the staff. She has seen many changes and has been of great support to everyone. “I don't know what we would do without her, and I would really love her to know that she is appreciated by us beyond this shop alone.”
Inclusive
John Saunders-Davies (Fundraising)
John has transformed personal adversity into meaningful community impact. After receiving support from Tenovus Cancer Care during his own cancer journey, he became a passionate advocate for rural health and wellbeing. In 2024, John spearheaded Behind the Gate, a landmark charity event in North Wales aimed at tackling mental and physical health stigma within the farming community. His efforts united farmers and local businesses in a unique agricultural show that raised over £18,500 for multiple charities, including Tenovus Cancer Care. The event's success earned it a feature on S4C’s Ffermio, helping to amplify its message across Wales. John’s story is a powerful example of resilience, leadership, and grassroots change.
Linda and David Thomas (Neath Shop)
Both Linda and David have supported the Tenovus Cancer Care shop in Neath for over eight years, volunteering five days a week. Both have their specialist areas and make new volunteers feel welcome by getting to know them and have also supported a new recruit by helping them in learning to speak English and in their Welsh pronunciation. Their kind words of encouragement have gone a long way in helping others.
Helen Thorpe (Rhiwbina shop)
Helen is a very supportive, caring person and makes a big difference in keeping donations in the stockroom tidy. She volunteers in our Rhiwbina shop every Tuesday, along with extra hours on Saturdays, and always creates a fun atmosphere whenever she is in. She is a pleasure to have as part of the team and working with the young volunteers to build their confidence, lifting everyone spirits
Innovative
Kev and Anita Green (Fundraising team)
Despite both being on their own cancer journey and receiving treatment, neither could do more for Tenovus Cancer Care, showing how selfless and generous they are. Having watched parents and their daughter go through cancer, they are both determined to make a huge difference. Raising over £10,000 for breast cancer awareness and donating thousands of pounds worth of stock to our shops. Getting behind events such as Gourmet Golf, they are determined to help in any way possible. The couple have many overseas friends from Japan to Australia who now donate regularly as a result of them spreading the word about the charity.
Sian Warren (Rhiwbina Shop)
Sian has been a volunteer for five years and in that time has used her skill in spotting fine jewellery items to increase sales. Sian takes the jewellery home to sort, wash and price and gets items valued if they look more than just costume jewellery. Helping in her own time, she goes above and beyond for the charity and has increased jewellery sales by £11,500 in one year. Sian is an integral part of the team and deserves to be recognised for the tremendous work she has done and for the wonderful person she is.
Penny Tansley (Boscombe Shop)
Penny puts her imagination and skills to work to raise hundreds of pounds for the charity. From plant sales to Easter crochet animals and making popular lavender bags, the ideas keep on coming. Best sellers include home-made cards, Halloween and Christmas gifts and hand-made aprons. Penny is a skilled crafter who loves to help others. Penny crochets miniature animals on request with collectors approaching her for her designs.
Collaborative
Sybil Fowler (Rhiwbina Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care)
Sybil loves to sing and has been with Cardiff North Sing with Us choir since its launch in 2012. She has led many wide and varied fundraising events, involving large groups of people working together to raise valuable funds for Tenovus Cancer Care. Two successful fashion shows, where Sybil was a popular MC, led to a catwalk full of confident models, helping to raise the roof and funds, along with her arrangement of entertaining concerts, quiz nights, coffee mornings and panto performances. Sybil is a force of nature.
Christine Plant (Retail, Community Engagement, Choir)
After receiving support during her own cancer diagnosis, Christine became a true advocate for the charity, using her personal experience as a driving force to give back and help others. A valued member of the Sing with Us Llandudno choir, it’s not just her voice but she brings her compassion and community spirit to every rehearsal and performance. As a volunteer with the Community Engagement team, she delivers heart-felt talks and raises awareness of the vital services the charity provides. It doesn’t end there as Christine volunteers in the
Tenovus Cancer Care retail shop in Conwy. Her spirit shines through in her incredible fundraising efforts too from fire walks to Canter for Cancer, a horse-riding fundraiser.
Nori Hirano (Head office volunteer)
Nori volunteers regularly at our head office. Creative and innovative, Nori uses his skills to help manage our learning platforms and is quick to offer his support across the charity. He is patient and has great attention to detail, becoming a key member of the team, working on spreadsheets, often testing ideas to ensure they work first and coming up with helpful ideas to support data development.
Group
Ammanford shop
Over the past six months, the volunteer team at the Ammanford Shop has been nothing short of incredible in their support for our charity. Their dedication, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment have played a vital role in helping us achieve our goals and serve our community more effectively. Teamwork and positive spirit have not only strengthened operations but also inspired everyone around them.
eBay team
This amazing team has helped generate income of over £35,000 for the charity last year. Sue, Steve, Ben, Bradley and Tim have been a great support in helping to sort, pack, photograph, list and have made improvements in selling items on eBay. With increasing sales and making everything run like clockwork, the charity’s warehouse can feel like a forgotten department sometimes, but so much goes on there and remains a vital cog in the wheel.
Llandybie Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care group
Llandybie Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care is an amazing fundraising group, who last year raised a terrific £10,000. By holding a range of community fundraising events, including a rugby club dinner with Nigel Owens, retired rugby union referee, as well as a creative Easter fundraiser with TV chef Gareth Richards, providing a mouth-watering cooking demo. The events held by the group are always fantastic and they also raise much awareness in the community.
Radyr and Morganstown FOT – 40 Years of Dedication
Celebrating 40 years, Radyr and Morganstown Friends of Tenovus have raised over £300,000 through events like walks, quizzes, golf days, fashion shows and the Radyr Festival. Marilyn Vaughan the founding treasurer managed the group’s finances for nearly 40 years and is still a dedicated supporter. Betty Fitzgerald, also a founding member, led major fundraising efforts and brought new ideas to the group. She remains a supporter and helps out when she can.’
