MORE than 200 guests celebrated a Crowthorne charity's 1,500 volunteers at an annual awards celebration.

Norwood, which owns Ravenswood, a collection of accommodations for people with learning disabilities, held its sixth annual Volunteer Recognition Awards at The Postal Museum, London, on Tuesday, September 4.

Ravenswood residents joined the celebrations along with guests including Joint-Norwood President Lady Nicola Mendelsohn CBE.

The awards recognise the huge contribution Norwood’s volunteers make to the UK’s largest Jewish children’s, family and learning disability charity, which equates to over £2m in support to the charity every year.

Among the winners were Norwood’s Adult Volunteer Counsellors, Aviva Melamed, Myriam Kahmi and Frederika Loire, who won the Professional of the Year Award. The Adult Counselling Team is predominately supported by volunteer counsellors who give therapy hours to families in need based at our Children and Families Centre at Kennedy Leigh.

Jennie Wharram, Norwood’s Head of Volunteering and Trading, said: “Our volunteers have been part of Norwood’s success in so many ways over the past year.

"Their passion and dedication in our children and family centres, in our adult learning disability services, in our charity shops, and in our support services, has been vital in changing the lives of thousands of vulnerable people in our community.

"Whether or not our volunteers won an award tonight, we’re incredibly grateful to them all – they’re an inspiration!”

Lady Nicola Mendelsohn CBE said: "Thank you to you all for your precious and valuable time. Seeing all of the winners on stage tonight and hearing about the incredible things that each and every one of you do, you just can’t help but leaving the Postal Museum feeling that little bit more inspired.

"Every single one of Norwood’s 1,500 volunteers makes an enormous contribution to the charity’s ongoing mission to achieve excellence in everything that we do.”