Celebrating Hestia volunteers at the 2026 Volunteer Awards 5 June 2026 On 4 June 2026, 93 attendees came together to celebrate the incredible contributions of Hestia’s volunteers at our annual awards ceremony. Volunteers are at the heart of everything Hestia does. Last year, over 1,300 people gave their time, amounting to an incredible 40,000 hours of support – with an estimated value of £2.2 million. They play an important part in supporting men, women, and children across London live a life beyond crisis. Volunteering opportunities can involve befriending opportunities, cooking lessons and chair yoga to book clubs and art classes - with the aim to bring together individuals from all walks of life, sharing their expertise. Volunteering team at Hestia The event opened with an opportunity for volunteers to connect with fellow supporters, Hestia colleagues, corporate partners, and members of the senior leadership team, including trustees, our CEO, Patrick and our Executive Director of Services, Gayle. During the ceremony, Hestia's CEO, Patrick Ryan presented the Long Service Award to volunteers celebrating over five and 15 years of commitment. Congratulations to: Tracey, Turanem and Nathalie Who received the Long Service Award of 5 years John and Allan Who received the Long Service Award of 15 years This year’s awards saw a large number of nominations making the shortlisting process incredibly competitive. Every volunteer who supports Hestia is truly deserving of recognition for their dedication and impact. Here are the award category winners: Award category winners Gillian Who received the Collaborative award presented by Tokio Marine. This award recognises volunteers who have empowered people to work together, share experiences, and learn from one another. Michela Who received the Courageous award presented by Triple Point. This award honours volunteers who have demonstrated courage; those who seek out opportunities and make the most of them. Mary Who received the Dedicated award presented by RPC. This award recognises volunteers who have dedicated their efforts to supporting staff, fellow volunteers, and service users. Sivasankari Who received the Genuine award presented by Sykes & Sons. This award honours volunteers who are genuine, listen, and support others. Paul Who received the Respectful award presented by Kingfisher. This award recognises volunteers who are compassionate, embrace differences, and build positive relationships while supporting others. Daisy Who received the Supervisor of the Year award presented by Ashurst. This award expresses our gratitude to Volunteer Supervisors who go the extra mile to ensure volunteers feel supported, valued, and empowered in their roles. Rob Who received the Outstanding Contribution award. This is an award to recognise an individual that has gone above and beyond to support Hestia. Ifeoma Who received the Volunteer of the Year award presented by Ashurst This award recognises dedicated volunteers who have selflessly contributed their time, energy and skills to support Hestia’s services and improve the lives of the people use them. Thank you to our corporate partners Tokio Marine, Triple Point, RPC, Sykes & Sons, Kingfisher and Ashurst who proudly presented at our awards. Volunteer of the Year award winner, Ifeoma A massive thank you to the Volunteering and Fundraising team for putting this fantastic event together. Are you interested in volunteering with Hestia? You will be joining a team of volunteers across London supporting adults and children for a life beyond crisis. There are many different volunteering roles available. Get involved today with opportunities to learn, develop, and make a difference! Find out more Manage Cookie Preferences