Exeter student wins national volunteering award

Callum received Volunteering England’s Matt Spencer Award at a ceremony in London ahead of National Student Volunteering Week, which runs between February 22nd and February 28th 2010.

The Matt Spencer Award was set up by the parents of student volunteer Matt Spencer, who passed away in 2001. Winners are presented with an inscribed tankard, a cheque for £100 and a bottle of champagne.

Since joining the University of Exeter Students’ Guild volunteering group, Community Action, in October 2008, Callum has been committed to numerous children’s projects. He managed the 2009 Summer Adventures two week holiday camp for Devon’s young carers, he is project leader for Active Children in Exeter (ACE), where young carers play a different sport or active game every Sunday. Callum has also developed one off projects with the Young Carers Project at Westbank, encouraging young people to think about the environment by taking them out for the day with local environmental organisations.

Callum has also dedicated himself to student charity fundraising. This year, alongside all his Community Action work, he has been active member of the Safer Sex Ball committee, which organises the UK’s largest World AIDS day event outside London, and was a member of the Fashion Show committee. Both events are run by the University of Exeter Students’ Guild fundraising group, RAG.

“Callum’s contribution to student volunteering at Exeter has been exceptional. His fantastic relationship with a local charity (Westbank) has promoted student volunteering across Devon. Callum fully deserves this award, particularly as he never expects to be thanked for any of the voluntary work he takes part in,” says Del Thorp, Students’ Guild Volunteering Manager.