Year of the Volunteer Medal for Judith Packer

TRRC upriver representative Judith Packer, the driving force behind the region's highly successful Junior Officals scheme has been presented with a Volunteer of the Year 2005 medal.

Judy (pictured here with the Lord Lieutenant) and around 50 others attended the presentation cermony at the Refectory at Guildford Cathedral on Saturday 30th October.

The audience was star-studded,  with at least eight mayors, lady mayors or council leaders from all over Surrey as well as the Lord Lieutenant (who rather confusingly is a lady) and High Sheriff of the county. 

After some short introductory speeches from the deputy leader of Surrey CC, the Executive Director of CSV (Dame Elisabeth Hoodless) and HM Lord Lieutenant, the medals were presented. 

Each recipient had their citation read out by one of two Lord Lieutenant's Cadets, one from St John Ambulance and the other a Guide.  The recipients of the awards covered every area of volunteering, from hearing dogs for the deaf, to support for asylum seekers, fund-raising for hospitals and of course sport (an international athletics time-keeper was there as well as two people picking up awards for rugby). 

Across the country, other similar ceremonies have been or will be held for the other award winners (2005 of them in total across the UK) - there is afull list on the YOV website