Kari Calder
Nominated by: Local Authority
Justyna Rachowska
Nominated by: Health In Mind, Peer Connecting Black and Minority Ethnic Communities, East and Midlothian
Justyna Rachowska joined Peer Connecting Black and Minority Ethnic Service (Health In Mind) in 2018. She not only provided companionship and emotional support, but engaged people in their local communities, helping them to increase their confidence and find their feet. Justyna has a great understanding of cultural and language barriers. She is adaptable, passionate, motivated, helpful, empathetic, and proactive. She always has a positive attitude and is there ready to provide support in different ways. Over the years she has helped many Health in Mind clients integrate with local communities so that they can make friends and feel accepted. Her input has made a huge difference to others.
Agnieszka Czarnecka
Nominated by: Health In Mind, Peer Connecting Back and Minority Ethnic
Agnieszka Czarnecka joined Peer Connecting, Black and Minority Ethnic (Health In Mind) in 2019. Since then, she has supported several different people with protected characteristics, offering emotional support, signposting them to other services and helping them to connect with others in their local community. During the pandemic she provided telephone support to people who were isolated and in need, giving her time very generously to ensure that nobody was left behind. Agnieszka is a very caring and empathetic person. Her input has helped people to feel welcome in Midlothian and she is a very valued member of the team at Health in Mind.
Joanna Haba
Nominated by: Home Link Family Support
Joanna Haba has been volunteering since 2020 and is currently supporting her second family with Home Link Family Support. Joanna is bi-lingual, speaking both Polish and English, meaning that she has been able to help provide interpretation. In recent months Joanna has been assisting the family she is matched with (especially mum) to get involved in some systemic family counselling, also through Home Link. Joanna has made a significant difference to the life of this mother. As the focus of the relationship has changed over time, Joanna has worked in a very compassionate way with the mother to help her through the difficulties she has experienced. She has shown immense commitment to this family and has been unwavering in her support for them.
Anna Maxwell
Nominated by: Home Link Family Support
Anna is one the youngest Volunteers at Home Link Family support. She began her training with us in May 2021, and was placed with her first family just 6 months later, to focus her support on the emotional wellbeing of a mother who cares for her two children with additional needs, whilst having her own health challenges. Anna has been supporting this mother on a weekly basis by phone or face-to-face meetings ever since. These occasions provide an opportunity for this mother to share her thoughts and feelings, about the various challenges and experiences she has had during the previous seven days. She has supported this Mum impeccably, and listened and responded to Mum’s concerns, health issues, returning to work worries, and anything else that Mum has wanted to discuss with her. Anna has responded to her emotional needs and encouraged her to keep going when things are tough.
Yvonne Carruthers
Nominated by: Meal Makers (Food Train Scotland)
Yvonne Carruthers is a Meal Makers volunteer cook. Her role is to cook an extra portion of her home-made meal and share that with her diner, an older person in her local community. This means access to better nutrition and helps to prevent malnutrition for the recipient. In doing so, Yvonne also provides companionship, friendship, and a means to assess the need for any additional support. Yvonne and her dog Lily have been paired with Moira since September 2017, originally cooking for Moira’s husband Bill as well, until his death, sadly, in 2019. During the pandemic Yvonne also supported a second diner for four months, as well as making check-in calls to 15 diners to help prevent loneliness and isolation. The general expected time spent with a diner is 30 minutes, but Yvonne often spends a lot more than this, giving Moira her undivided attention.
Midlothian Community Hospital Garden Volunteer Team
Nominated by: Cyrenians
Midlothian Hospital Garden Volunteer Team has been active for the past 10 years and has helped to create a beautiful space for people, wildlife and the environment whilst actively tackling climate change in the process. The team is a mix of people with different backgrounds which has developed into positive relationships based around nurturing others, patience, and self-belief. Over the years the team has evolved to a steady 25-30 active volunteers at any given time, with over 200 people playing their part since the project began. Within the team, it is lovely to see relationships grow naturally, just like our plants and vegetables in the hospital garden.
John McVeigh
Nominated by: Health-in-Mind Midlothian Team
John has been a volunteer for Health-in-Mind for over 15 years. This has included being a walk leader and working as a cook in the café when Health-in-Mind was at the Orchard Centre in Bonnyrigg. John’s soups are the stuff of legend! Over the years he has shown great resilience, particularly during Health-in-Mind Midlothian’s move from the Orchard Centre and during the Covid pandemic. John is very reliable, works well with others and is also easy to get along with. He shows care for the people in the walking groups and has provided first aid and equipment advice for those attending. He has a good knowledge of the natural environment and is able to pass this on to others, enabling them to appreciate nature and enjoy the benefits of being in the great outdoors.
Neil Watson
Nominated by: Mayfield/Lawfield/Tynewater ASC
Neil Watson has been volunteering for around 9 years as a play worker with Mayfield, Lawfield and Tynewater After School Club. Neil has an amazing rapport with the children, who all adore him, and is a great support to the staff and club. He has dedicated hundreds of hours of his own time to help out each week, assisting during the holidays and attending holiday club trips. Neil has been very generous with his time and other resources to help keep the organisation running smoothly. He is a valued member of the team at the club and the children are always pleased to see him on a Friday afternoon.
Josie Pople
Nominated by: Health in Mind – Midlothian Services Manager
Josie Pople is a volunteer peer group facilitator delivering online creative art spaces using Zoom. She also co-facilitates a creative arts and wellbeing group alongside Heath in Mind’s arts, greenspace, and active development worker. Josie has volunteered in several roles for 4 years with the organisation. Her volunteering has included co-facilitating community groups at various community venues in Midlothian. She has not been afraid to challenge where she feels groups and activities are not as effective as they could be. Josie is always thoughtful and encouraging, and has provided consistent support to other volunteers and staff members. Josie is an outstanding asset with her continued insight and positive influence.
Shona Hart
Nominated by: Breastfeeding Cafe, Auchendinny
Shona Hart began volunteering at Breastfeeding’s Cafe in May 2021, a few weeks following the birth of her own baby. Shona has given a huge amount of her time to support mothers to establish breastfeeding and overcome significant challenges. She has helped more than 60 families in the past 10 months, giving several hours a month of her time during her precious maternity leave. She is warm and welcoming, offers non-judgmental support and has encouraged other new mothers to become members of the project as she demonstrates the value of community support in the promotion of health and well-being. She is so deserving of an award for her valuable input.
Sarah Davidson
Nominated by: Cyrerians Midlothian Community Garden
Sarah Davidson is a volunteer at the Midlothian Community Garden. She gives her time as a Garden Buddy providing support to people who have been referred to the project because they are isolated or marginalised. Garden buddy pairs work on a range of different activities that can vary in levels of physicality and complexity. Sarah’s input with her ‘buddy’ resulted in that person developing improved confidence, self-worth, and new gardening skills/knowledge, which are all great achievements. Sarah shows calmness, patience and understanding when supporting others. She is described as a ‘lovely selfless soul’ who deserves recognition for her commitment to volunteering.
Margaret Canning
Nominated by: Hearing Link Scotland
Margaret Canning has been volunteering for ten years now. Her weekly activity supporting deaf and hard of hearing people includes a variety volunteering roles. She has made a difference to many people’s lives in her quiet, unassuming way. The support she gives comes from her own lived experience of hearing loss. She meticulously prepares her sessions in advance and is genuinely interested in each and every individual she meets. Not being able to hear can affect people’s wellbeing and many of the folk Margaret works with have stopped socialising because they no longer feel part of the conversation. Hearing loss can make people vulnerable. Margaret understands this, has been there, and is proof that things can get better with good support.
Hazel Murray
Nominated by: NHS Lothian
Hazel Murray has had two volunteering roles with NHS Lothian. In both roles, Hazel has made a significant weekly commitment to support vulnerable individuals and carers who are at risk of isolation. Initially she worked within the Fancy a Blether befriending project. She then helped to launch Carer Relief Companions, which helps to relieve carer stress by giving the opportunity for time away from caring responsibilities. Hazel has attended peer support and learning sessions with other volunteers to share her experience. She also contributed to the development of NHS Lothian’s new volunteering strategy. She is always keen to raise awareness of projects and to help with recruiting new volunteers. She is a fantastic volunteer!