We are delighted to welcome back the Diocese of Westminster ‘Love in Action’ Volunteering Awards! This is a great opportunity to nominate volunteers who you think deserve to be recognised for their dedication to voluntary service.
With a number of categories to choose from, we are confident you will find one for your exceptional volunteer/s. Winners will be announced at our awards ceremony in November.
Nominations are now closed. Meet this year’s finalists here.
Awards will be presented on 14th November. Tune into the livestream from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm here.
Nominations have now closed. Meet this year’s finalists here.
Who is eligible?
- Individuals or teams of volunteers
- Residents or volunteers within the Diocese of Westminster (see map here)
Nominees do not have to be linked to Caritas, and can be of all faiths and none. Winners will be selected by an independent panel of judges.
Please note:
- You cannot nominate a family members or previous winners in your chosen category
- If you wish to nominate more than one person or team, you must submit one nomination at a time
For more information, scroll down to the FAQs section or contact cvs@rcdow.org.uk.
Need a little inspiration?
Read about previous ‘Love in Action’ award winners
FAQs: Tips for writing a good nomination
Some volunteers fall into an obvious category. For example, a group of volunteers who run a social action project within a parish can be nominated for the ‘Parish Social Action Award’.
Other volunteers may fall into multiple categories: someone who has been the backbone of a parish project for many years could be nominated for both the ‘Parish Social Action Award’ or the ‘Ron Palmer Lifetime Achievement Award’. As long as the criteria for a category are met, the choice is yours!
Please look at the information for each category to help you decide, or contact us for further help.
Here are the main points to consider when making your nomination:
1. What the judges are looking for
The panel will assess the following criteria in all categories:
- Outstanding commitment to volunteering
- Displaying the values of Catholic Social Teaching in at least one of the following areas: Human Dignity, Community and Participation, Dignity in Work, Option for the Poor, Solidarity and Peace, Care for Creation
Where appropriate, the panel will also award marks for:
- Contribution to community engagement (for example with a wider school, parish or local community)
- Personal development as a result of volunteering
- Overall impact on the lives of beneficiaries and/or the surrounding community (case studies and figures can be helpful here!)
2. Paint a vivid picture of the nominee(s)
Remember that the panel will only have your words any supporting evidence to go by. Help them to see your nominee(s) through your eyes and understand why you think they are special. Tell their story in a detailed and compelling way, and include testimonials from anyone they have helped (without specifying names).
3. Provide supporting evidence, such as photographs, if you can
Photos, video clips, and quotes can be helpful. Please email these to cvs@rcdow.org.uk as the online form does not support uploads.
Who can be nominated for the Parish Social Action Award?
You can nominate individuals or teams of volunteers.
Nominees must be linked to a Catholic parish within the Diocese of Westminster, for example:
- As parishioners
- Volunteering for an outreach activity or project such as a food bank, homeless shelter or community café run by the parish or with the support of the parish. Projects can be aimed at serving parishioners or the wider community. Interdenominational or interfaith social outreach activities serving the wider community are good examples for the latter.
Nominees should demonstrate an outstanding commitment to volunteering and championing Catholic Social Teaching in at least one of the following areas: Human Dignity, Community and Participation, Dignity in Work, Option for the Poor, Solidarity and Peace, and Care for Creation.
Who can be nominated for the School Social Action Award?
Individual students or a group of students at a primary or secondary school.
Staff members can be nominated as part of a team, or individually for voluntary work only (i.e. going above and beyond their paid job description).
For example, the student(s) and/or staff member(s) could be involved with a foodbank run by the school, participate in other outreach activities, charity work, etc. Another example might be Caritas Ambassador groups.
Nominees should demonstrate an outstanding commitment to volunteering and championing Catholic Social Teaching in at least one of the following areas: Human Dignity, Community and Participation, Dignity in Work, Option for the Poor, Solidarity and Peace, and Care for Creation.
Other categories you might like to consider are the ‘Young Volunteer/s of the Year Award’ or the ‘Ron Palmer Lifetime Achievement Award’.
Who can be nominated for the Young Volunteer/s of the Year Award?
Nominees must be under 25 years old. There is no minimum age requirement.
Individuals or groups of volunteers.
Nominees should demonstrate an outstanding commitment to volunteering and championing Catholic Social Teaching in at least one of the following areas: Human Dignity, Community and Participation, Dignity in Work, Option for the Poor, Solidarity and Peace, and Care for Creation.
Other categories you might like to consider are the ‘Parish Social Action Award’, the ‘School Social Action Award’ or the ‘St Therese of Lisieux Award’.
Who can be nominated for the Ron Palmer Lifetime Achievement Award?
This award is named after Ron Palmer, an active volunteer at Caritas St Joseph’s at over 100 years old. The category recognises outstanding social action involvement over a long period of time, and eligible volunteers must have served for at least 10 years. You can nominate an individual who is still volunteering or someone who has recently (since January 2023) retired from volunteering.
Nominees should demonstrate an outstanding commitment to volunteering and championing Catholic Social Teaching in at least one of the following areas: Human Dignity, Community and Participation, Dignity in Work, Option for the Poor, Solidarity and Peace, and Care for Creation.
This is an award for individuals. If you wish to nominate more than one person, please submit separate forms for each one. Team nominations will not be considered.
Other categories you might like to consider are the ‘Parish Social Action Award’, the ‘School Social Action Award’ of the ‘St Thérèse of Lisieux Award’.
Who can be nominated for the ‘St Thérèse of Lisieux Award’?
“Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.” St Thérèse of Lisieux.
This award recognises individuals or groups of volunteers whose exceptional work does not fall into any of the other categories. You can nominate anyone who has served a parish, charity or community group with great dedication.
In the case of parish volunteers, this category is for volunteers in non-social action roles. For example, a nominee could carry out day-to-day tasks like flower arrangement, church cleaning, committee membership, hospitality, singing in the choir, etc. It could also be someone who has no specific role or does lots of little jobs with great love. Volunteers involved in parish social action projects (such as food banks, drop-ins for the homeless, refugee welcome groups, etc.) should be nominated for the Parish Social Action Award.
Other categories you might like to consider are the ‘Ron Palmer Lifetime Achievement Award’ or the ‘Young Volunteer/s of the Year Award’.
Interested in volunteering? Looking for volunteers? The Caritas Volunteer Service is here to help.