Wychavon Community Recognition Awards

Wychavon is a great place to live and work and one of our best assets is our residents. There are a huge number of individuals and groups working voluntarily week after week, helping to run clubs and projects which make a real difference to our communities we invite you to nominate individuals.

Pershore & District Volunteer Centre nomination: Mavis James Volunteer Award.

The past year has been typical of every year since Mavis became a volunteer with Pershore & District Volunteer Centre. She began driving for us in 2002 and retired at the end of October after 16 years as a volunteer, having never missed a drive, and never let us or her passengers down. Mavis provided this invaluable service in just two days per week to complement her involvement with other local voluntary organisations, including a regular twice weekly commitment as a guide with Croome Court where she is continuing to volunteer.

Mavis vowed that she would just be retired and enjoy life when she moved to Pershore in 2001 when her husband retired. However, having been very involved as a Clergy wife – her husband had 5 parishes and 4 churches – she decided after just a few short months that she needed something more fulfilling than housework, knitting and doing jigsaw puzzles. She was inspired to become a volunteer driver because her elderly mother used the Abingdon (Oxfordshire) Voluntary Car Service and both enjoyed the independence this provided. Mavis appreciated the respite from regular 100-mile round trips, so was determined to reciprocate the support her mother received for residents here in our local area, which she has done quietly and effectively without ever making a fuss. Mavis was also a Volunteer Centre trustee for 6 years and has also been an active member of Pershore WI and Ladies Guild. She is continuing with her voluntary role at Croome Court twice a week, giving guided tours of the house.

Mavis has set a fine example to all volunteers and community-minded residents in Pershore. She has a tremendous empathy with all people and has been a diligent and conscientious volunteer here in Pershore for over 16 years. Her kind and gentle manner made her a perfect companion for anxious clients travelling to medical or hospital appointments, and many clients specifically requested her to be their driver, with the result that Mavis had a register of regular drives and clients. In this way, she developed friendships with the clients and ensured that any additional support needs were reported to the office so that these could be followed up by the appropriate teams.

We are pleased to announce Mavis won the Volunteer category.

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