The podcast kit is also available for hire to voluntary community groups. For more information on The Community Action Pod and ways to get involved contact the Host Melanie Benn on melanie@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073. Produced by Forest Voluntary Action Forum Funded by the Barnwood Trust Digital Inclusion Fund

KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE Young people who are moving towards adulthood have the right to make informed choices about how they connect to their local community. This can involve risk, for guidance read: Building Connections: One minute guide to Risk Assessment

Volunteer Heroes Crowned! The community turned out in force on Wednesday 7 September to see local volunteers crowned at a glittering awards celebration evening we held at the AccXel Training Centre in Cinderford. We created the Forest Volunteer Awards to recognise and celebrate the amazing efforts of local volunteers in the Forest of Dean. Earlier this Summer, we asked local people to nominate those volunteer heroes who have demonstrated exceptional and outstanding support to the local community over the past 12 months. The response was amazing and we received hundreds of nominations. An expert panel had the tough task of shortlisting the nominations and picking the winners. However, one category - Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion – was decided by a public vote with almost 900 votes cast. The winners were crowned at a special evening, held at the stunning conference space at the impressive AccXel Training Centre, which was provided for free to FVAF by local construction company the KW Bell Group, who were the main sponsors of the event. Volunteer of the Year went to Les Cockle, volunteer fundraiser at Great Oaks Hospice whilst Forest of Dean Host Ukrainians and Ukraine Community Hub jointly picked up the Community Voluntary Group of the Year. Young volunteers were celebrated with Keira Stone, volunteer at disability group, Together We Can crowed under 16 years old Young Volunteer of the Year, whilst in the 17 – 25 years old category, Chloe Whatley and Jordan Terrel were rewarded for their tireless hard work volunteering at the Sea Cadets in Lydney. Lisa Tootell was crowned Outstanding New Volunteer of the Year for her amazing impact for the Girl Guides in the Forest of Dean and Hips Social were recognised for supporting the local community and investing in improving the local area. The winners were presented with an award, a framed certificate and £100 Amazon voucher, kindly provided by sponsors the KW Bell Group. Deb Cook, Volunteering Manager at FVAF said “So much of what happens within our community is because of people who give their time and energy for free. We think that recognising the amazing efforts of volunteers and organisations is incredibly important which is why we have been so pleased by the reaction of the local people who have supported these awards by nominating and voting.” Deb added, “It has been an incredible evening and we are so lucky and proud of the strength of the amazing voluntary sector we have in the Forest.” Master of Ceremony for the Forest Volunteer Awards was Kate Clark, BBC Radio Gloucestershire presenter who kept the guests entertained with her expert hosting skills. Award winners were announced by guest presenter; Roger Deeks (FVAF Trustee), Nicola Bird and Yvonne Bell (KW Bell and main sponsor), Sue Middleton (Verderer of the Forest of Dean), Andy Lewis MBE (PT2 Para triathlete), Neill Ricketts (Founder of Versarien and chair the Forest of Dean Economic Partnership). The celebration evening was made possible thanks to generous sponsorship for the following local organisations: KW Bell Group and AccXel Training Centre – main sponsors Hot Tubs Rock Versarien The Midcounties Co- Operative FOREST VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS: Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion WINNER: Les Cockle – Great Oaks Hospice Highly Commended: Hannah McGowan (FOD Hosts of Ukrainians Support Group), Martin Elsmore (The Golden Triangle Club), Steve Gregory (FVAF / Walking with Wheels) and Mark Jones (Community First Responder SWASFT) Community Voluntary Group of the Year WINNER: FOD Hosts of Ukrainians Support Group and Ukraine Community Hub Highly Commended: Together We Can, Newnham Archery Club, Dean Radio, The Friends of Longhope Church and The Rewild Project Outstanding New Volunteer WINNER: Lisa Tootell – Girlguiding FOD South Division Highly Commended: Sarah Maxfield – Berry Hill Memorial Institute Young Volunteer of the Year 16yrs & under WINNER: Keira Stone – Together We Can Highly Commended: Toby Niblett – Lydney Youth Hub Young Volunteer of the Year 17 – 25yrs JOINT WINNERS: Jordan Terrell and Chloe Whatley – FOD Sea Cadets Community Impact Award WINNER: HIPs Social Highly Commended: Recycle Shop CIC Newent and Wilde Earth Journeys

Help us create a mural celebrating the Forest of Dean's tradition of community action ! We're creating a mural to celebrate our incredible heritage of community action, mutual support, and resilience! From our mining traditions to welcoming Ukrainian families, from river fishing to friendly societies – we want to hear all the stories that matter. The finished mural will be painted on the side of Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Dockham Road, Cinderford, creating a lasting tribute to our community's story. We've held two drop-in workshops, led by local artist Tom Cousins, where we invited the community to come along and share their amazing stories and ideas about what makes our area special. Couldn't Make It to the Workshops? We Still Want to Hear From You! We've created the below online survey – so you can still contribute your memories, stories, and ideas for the mural. Whether you've lived here all your life or recently made this place home, your perspective is valuable. What We're Looking For Personal stories that capture the spirit of our community Memories of local traditions, places, or events Examples of how neighbours have supported each other What makes you proud to be part of this community Ideas for images or symbols that represent our shared heritage Share your thoughts and ideas below: Your Forest of Dean Stories Your name (optional) How long have you lived in/been connected to the Forest of Dean area? 1. What does community spirit mean to you in the Forest of Dean? 2. Which of these themes resonate most with your experience of our area? (Tick all that apply) Food & Resources (traditional land use, fishing, growing food, sharing resources) Landscape & Environment (rivers, mining heritage, how place shapes community) Arts & Culture (music, festivals, creative traditions) Community Action (mutual aid, rights movements, defending our heritage) Settlers & Diversity (different communities who've made this area home) 3. What's a story, memory, or tradition from the Forest of Dean that you think should be celebrated in the mural? 4. Are there particular people, groups, or movements (historical or recent) that represent the community spirit of our area to you? 5. What would you like visitors and future generations to understand about the Forest of Dean community? Would you be interested in helping with the mural painting in August? Yes - I'd love to help paint! No, but I support the project Email details (if you'd like updates) Submit

સ્વયંસેવી ફોરેસ્ટ ઓફ ડીન માટે સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર તરીકે અમે તમને સ્વયંસેવકોની ભરતી અને સંચાલન કરવામાં મદદ કરવા માટે અહીં છીએ અમારી નવી સ્વયંસેવી વિગતોથી ભરેલી પુસ્તિકા સ્થાનિક સ્વયંસેવી તકો હવે બહાર છે ડાઉનલોડ કરવા માટે ક્લિક કરો માટે સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર તરીકે ડીનનું વન સ્વયંસેવીમાં રસ ધરાવનાર કોઈપણ માટે અમે વારંવાર સંપર્કનો પ્રથમ બિંદુ હોઈએ છીએ. ગયા વર્ષે અમને આ વિસ્તારમાં 100,000 કલાકથી વધુ સ્વૈચ્છિક સેવાને સમર્થન આપવા બદલ ગર્વ હતો! FVAF સ્વયંસેવકોને ટેકો આપવા માટે અને લોકો સ્વયંસેવક બનવાનું પસંદ કરવાનાં કારણોની વિશાળ શ્રેણીને માન્યતા આપતી સંસ્થાઓ તરફથી સ્વયંસેવી તકોની વિશાળ શ્રેણીને પ્રોત્સાહન અને જાહેરાત કરે છે. શા માટે સ્વયંસેવક? સ્વયંસેવીના અસંખ્ય વિશાળ લાભો છે, ફક્ત તમારા માટે જ નહીં, પરંતુ તમારા સમુદાય અને અમે જેમાં રહીએ છીએ તે વિશ્વ માટે. જો તમે તમારા સીવીને વધારવા માંગતા હો, નવા લોકોને મળવા માંગતા હો, તમારી કુશળતાને સારી રીતે ઉપયોગમાં લેવા માંગતા હો, કંઈક નવું શીખવા માંગતા હો, રસ કેળવવા માંગતા હો, અનુભવ ઑફર કરવા અથવા ફક્ત તફાવત લાવવા માંગતા હો, તો અમે તમારા માટે તકની ખાતરી આપીએ છીએ! તમે નીચેની રીતે આ તકો વિશે જાણી શકો છો: પર તકો શોધો કરો.org અમને 01594 822073 પર કૉલ કરો દ્વારા સંપર્ક કરો ઇમેઇલ FVAF સોમ - શુક્ર 9:00 - 1:00 ( દિશાઓ ) પર અમારી મુલાકાત લો જો તમે મોટા જૂથના ભાગ રૂપે સ્વયંસેવક બનવાનું વિચારી રહ્યા છો, ઉદાહરણ તરીકે કોર્પોરેટ સ્વયંસેવીના ભાગ રૂપે, તો અમારી પાસે પસંદગી માટે તકોની વિશાળ શ્રેણી પણ છે. Get the latest volunteer opportunities - direct to your mailbox! Sign up to receive our regular email Volunteer Newsletter: SIGN UP HELP FOR GROUPS - recruiting & managing volunteers As a one-stop-shop for all things volunteering, we can help you find, and keep, the perfect volunteer: સ્વયંસેવી તમામ બાબતો માટે વન-સ્ટોપ-શોપ તરીકે, અમે તમને મૂલ્યવાન સ્વયંસેવકોની ભરતી અને જાળવી રાખવાની શ્રેષ્ઠ તક આપવા માટે બહુપક્ષીય પદ્ધતિનો ઉપયોગ કરીએ છીએ. આમાં નીચેનાનો સમાવેશ થાય છે: Do-it.org પર તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરવી અમને અથવા અમારા ડ્રોપ-ઇન ફંક્શન દ્વારા જાહેર જનતાના સભ્યોને તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો. અમારા Facebook અને Twitter પૃષ્ઠો પર તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરો સ્વયંસેવીને સમર્થન આપતી સ્થાનિક સેવાઓમાં તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો દા.ત. જોબ સેન્ટર, LearnDirect અને 2GetherTrust દર વર્ષે 30 થી વધુ ઇવેન્ટ્સમાં તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરવી સ્થાનિક વ્યવસાયોને તમારી તકો મોકલવી જે એમ્પ્લોયર સમર્થિત સ્વયંસેવી ઓફર કરે છે શાળાઓ, કોલેજો અને યુનિવર્સિટીઓમાં સંબંધિત તકોને પ્રોત્સાહન આપવું 1,000 થી વધુ લોકોના અમારા સ્વયંસેવક ડેટાબેઝમાં તમારી તકોનું વિતરણ કરવું તમારા પેચને જાણો સહિત વિવિધ નેટવર્ક્સ પર તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો Get in touch - call us on 01594 822073, via email or visit us at FVAF, Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Dockham Road, Cinderford GL14 2AN (Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm)

સ્વયંસેવી ફોરેસ્ટ ઓફ ડીન માટે સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર તરીકે અમે તમને સ્વયંસેવકોની ભરતી અને સંચાલન કરવામાં મદદ કરવા માટે અહીં છીએ અમારી નવી સ્વયંસેવી વિગતોથી ભરેલી પુસ્તિકા સ્થાનિક સ્વયંસેવી તકો હવે બહાર છે ડાઉનલોડ કરવા માટે ક્લિક કરો અથવા તમારી સ્થાનિક લાઇબ્રેરી અથવા કોમ્યુનિટી હબમાંથી એક નકલ લો માટે સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર તરીકે ડીનનું વન સ્વયંસેવીમાં રસ ધરાવનાર કોઈપણ માટે અમે વારંવાર સંપર્કનો પ્રથમ બિંદુ હોઈએ છીએ. ગયા વર્ષે અમને આ વિસ્તારમાં 100,000 કલાકથી વધુ સ્વૈચ્છિક સેવાને સમર્થન આપવા બદલ ગર્વ હતો! FVAF સ્વયંસેવકોને ટેકો આપવા માટે અને લોકો સ્વયંસેવક બનવાનું પસંદ કરવાનાં કારણોની વિશાળ શ્રેણીને માન્યતા આપતી સંસ્થાઓ તરફથી સ્વયંસેવી તકોની વિશાળ શ્રેણીને પ્રોત્સાહન અને જાહેરાત કરે છે. શા માટે સ્વયંસેવક? સ્વયંસેવીના અસંખ્ય વિશાળ લાભો છે, ફક્ત તમારા માટે જ નહીં, પરંતુ તમારા સમુદાય અને અમે જેમાં રહીએ છીએ તે વિશ્વ માટે. જો તમે તમારા સીવીને વધારવા માંગતા હો, નવા લોકોને મળવા માંગતા હો, તમારી કુશળતાને સારી રીતે ઉપયોગમાં લેવા માંગતા હો, કંઈક નવું શીખવા માંગતા હો, રસ કેળવવા માંગતા હો, અનુભવ ઑફર કરવા અથવા ફક્ત તફાવત લાવવા માંગતા હો, તો અમે તમારા માટે તકની ખાતરી આપીએ છીએ! તમે નીચેની રીતે આ તકો વિશે જાણી શકો છો: પર તકો શોધો કરો.org અમને 01594 822073 પર કૉલ કરો દ્વારા સંપર્ક કરો ઇમેઇલ FVAF સોમ - શુક્ર 9:00 - 1:00 ( દિશાઓ ) પર અમારી મુલાકાત લો જો તમે મોટા જૂથના ભાગ રૂપે સ્વયંસેવક બનવાનું વિચારી રહ્યા છો, ઉદાહરણ તરીકે કોર્પોરેટ સ્વયંસેવીના ભાગ રૂપે, તો અમારી પાસે પસંદગી માટે તકોની વિશાળ શ્રેણી પણ છે. Get the latest volunteer opportunities - direct to your mailbox! Sign up to receive our regular email Volunteer Newsletter: SIGN UP HELP FOR GROUPS - recruiting & managing volunteers સ્વયંસેવી તમામ બાબતો માટે વન-સ્ટોપ-શોપ તરીકે, અમે તમને મૂલ્યવાન સ્વયંસેવકોની ભરતી અને જાળવી રાખવાની શ્રેષ્ઠ તક આપવા માટે બહુપક્ષીય પદ્ધતિનો ઉપયોગ કરીએ છીએ. આમાં નીચેનાનો સમાવેશ થાય છે: Do-it.org પર તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરવી અમને અથવા અમારા ડ્રોપ-ઇન ફંક્શન દ્વારા જાહેર જનતાના સભ્યોને તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો. અમારા Facebook અને Twitter પૃષ્ઠો પર તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરો સ્વયંસેવીને સમર્થન આપતી સ્થાનિક સેવાઓમાં તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો દા.ત. જોબ સેન્ટર, LearnDirect અને 2GetherTrust દર વર્ષે 30 થી વધુ ઇવેન્ટ્સમાં તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરવી સ્થાનિક વ્યવસાયોને તમારી તકો મોકલવી જે એમ્પ્લોયર સમર્થિત સ્વયંસેવી ઓફર કરે છે શાળાઓ, કોલેજો અને યુનિવર્સિટીઓમાં સંબંધિત તકોને પ્રોત્સાહન આપવું 1,000 થી વધુ લોકોના અમારા સ્વયંસેવક ડેટાબેઝમાં તમારી તકોનું વિતરણ કરવું તમારા પેચને જાણો સહિત વિવિધ નેટવર્ક્સ પર તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો As a one-stop-shop for all things volunteering, we can help you find, and keep, the perfect volunteer: Get in touch - call us on 01594 822073, via email or visit us at FVAF, Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Dockham Road, Cinderford GL14 2AN (Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm)

COMMUNITY CONNECTORS’ FORUM/KNOW YOUR PATCH NETWORK In-person event 14 June 2022 at The Wesley, Cinderford Event Feedback \ Thank you for participating in our event! Tell us what you thought about it. Name & organisation Please indicate on a scale of 1 – 10, where 1 is the most negative and 10 the most positive What was your overall impression of the day? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 What was your experience of the speakers? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Please share any comments about your overall impression of the day and the speakers What was your experience of the activities? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Please share any comments about the activities What was your experience of the refreshments? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Was there anything else that you feel could have been provided? What would you like to see in future events? Suggested speakers/format etc Your email Send Feedback Thanks for your feedback!

Peer Development Developing the space between us to enable better Community Health and Wellbeing. Mycelium seeks to promote connectedness between people and encourage collaboration in service development in the Forest of Dean. Mycelium seeks to promote connectedness between people and encourage collaboration in service development in the Forest of Dean. We wish to do so to develop a counternarrative to ‘siloed working’ and the overbearing competitiveness between people, organisations and within emerging systems. We value both lived and professional experience equally and work from a horizontal, narrative informed, peer advocacy model with co-production and action research principles at its core. What do we do? We offer Peer Advocacy, Peer Mentoring & Peer Development for individuals, groups and organisations living or working in the Forest of Dean. For People from our Communities We work with individuals providing 1 to 1 support. Using peer advocacy and peer mentoring principles we can help you to develop a ‘recovery practice’ that enables you to get back up after a crisis, or travel safely through a difficult period in your life. We can help you: to understand and respond to social care needs or a health condition and can help you to cope with a situation that is causing you emotional distress. to find information, to build confidence as you begin to identify, navigate and try out the wellbeing and self-help resources that are available to you in your local community. if issues arise when trying to build yourself up again - we can be there and help you to learn about yourself, your world and your rights. to travel through the complexities of recovery from a health condition, from mental illness, trauma or addiction - to raise your voice about what is important to you as you do so. to access advice from the best expertise available and can then support you to understand, choose between and explore the options opened up for you by that advice. to access community groups and projects and help them in turn to become more confident, compassionate and efficient when supporting individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. Peer advocacy will work on up to three specific community advocacy issues at a time, but the Peer mentoring will be open access, an ‘in the background’ wrap around support that will attempt to respond to your unique circumstances and complex needs whilst still trying to link you in with the best expertise available to you. For Volunteers and Professionals “Project Support” - We work with individuals developing groups and organisations With consultancy, reflective practice and ongoing support we can help lived experience practitioners, peer support workers and staff with lived experience who are working in the VCS and local health and social care settings, to use their experiences of illness or mental distress in a way that is safe, effective and compassionate for both them and the people they are supporting. We can help: you to develop an idea, a workshop, a group or a project that has arisen from your own unique situation, lived experience or from the skills and awareness gained on your recovery journey. provide or link you in with training, information, supervision and a support structure around you to enable you to turn this awareness into a skill that can benefit others in your local community. projects, groups and organisations develop their co-production strategies and be a point of contact with transformed mental health services and the wider supports available. We can enable you to implement these strategies in a non ’tokenistic’ & authentic way. you to stay well and practice self-care whilst working and using your lived experience to help others who are going through health conditions or mental distres s. What does ‘Peer’ mean? “PEER … One that is of equal standing with another” The ‘Peer’ in Peer Advocacy, Peer Mentoring and Peer Development points to shared concerns and experiences. Peer support is when we come together with others who have been through or are recovering from something similar. It is about ‘mutuality’ - helping each other through conversations, activities and spending time together. It can help us not to feel so alone or unusual, to realise that there is a possibility of life beyond and outside of the condition, distress or situation encountered. Peer services connect people and create opportunities for ‘giving back’; they can help us to take notice of the skills and knowledge we have gained on our journeys while also creating opportunities to use these skills to build better services and communities for the future. Who are we? We are all local people with both professional and personal experience of disability, illness, mental distress and/or have been carers for people navigating social and health care systems. We are all individuals who have had extensive experience of managing our own recoveries from illness and mental distress and have learnt much from doing so. We all feel that talking to someone who has ‘been through’ and managed to successfully survive and navigate something similar in the past can be incredibly helpful to those who are feeling isolated with that condition, situation or circumstance in the present. Though we understand the importance of being supported by someone who understands from ‘lived experience’, we also recognise the importance of skill and learning. We know how important ongoing development is to help convert that learning into a constructive, safe and effective practice that enables others. We have all received extensive previous training and are committed to continued professional development alongside the “lived experience” knowledge that we draw upon. We have all benefitted from Peer Advocacy, Peer Support or Peer Mentoring ourselves and are passionate about its enormous benefits for good community mental health and wellbeing. We have all had extensive previous experience of co-production work, collaborative working, community development and promoting diverse voices. What have we done so far? Developing Action Research & our Narrative Model for locality-based peer development Over the past two years Mycelium has been drawing together people with experience, professionals and those passionate about community development, to overcome barriers to discussion and rally around shared concerns or stories. The aim of this has been to increase understanding about mental health illness and, most importantly, move towards improvement of the current situation for individuals, families and the Forest communities. We have developed a Resource Hub, Community-based Recovery Education Sessions and a Community of Practice group for those working with individuals with mental health challenges. We have facilitated extensive community-based action research to ascertain need and identify a network of allies. This has been published alongside papers on co-production and has all been fed into the Community Mental Health Transformation undertaken in Gloucestershire. Who are we for? We have supported the growth of community initiatives that allow everybody’s voices to be heard and we want change to continue to be driven by well-being and mutual aid. We are listening, learning and offering opportunities for all community members within the Forest and invite you to join us on this exciting journey. Anyone 16 + who is living or working in the Forest of Dean. Anyone who feels that they could benefit from support from individuals with experience of managing their own recovery from mental health difficulties, addiction, mental distress or a health condition. Anyone facing challenges in accessing the support that they want and need help to find information, understand their rights, build a support network or develop an advocacy plan of action to raise their voice or complain about the care they have received. Anyone with either diagnosed or undiagnosed conditions and people waiting on waiting lists for assessment. Our aim is to respect all perspectives and encourage action and improvement in the lives of all across our Forest communities. How do I find out more, get involved or access Mycelium support? For more information drop Simon Price (Project Manager and Mental Health Researcher) a message at Simon@fvaf.org.uk or call 07394 945046 to arrange a meet up and find out more about Mycelium Peer Development.

FVAF વિશે FVAF વિશે આપણી વાર્તા અમે ડીન ફોરેસ્ટ માટે સ્વૈચ્છિક સેવા પરિષદ અને સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર છીએ. અમે જિલ્લાની સેંકડો સ્વૈચ્છિક અને સામુદાયિક સંસ્થાઓને સહાય પૂરી પાડીએ છીએ જે બદલામાં સ્થાનિક સમુદાયમાં અને તેમના માટે તેમનું કાર્ય પહોંચાડવામાં વધુ સારી રીતે સક્ષમ છે. 1994 માં રચના થઈ ત્યારથી અમે સમગ્ર ડીન ફોરેસ્ટમાં સમુદાયની ક્રિયાઓને પ્રોત્સાહિત કરવા, સ્વીકારવા અને વધારવા માટે પ્રતિષ્ઠા વિકસાવી છે. અમે માનીએ છીએ કે સમુદાયની આગેવાની હેઠળના અભિગમો દ્વારા અમે નાગરિકોને વધુ સુખી, વધુ સારી રીતે જોડાયેલા જીવન જીવવા માટે કૌશલ્ય, સ્થિતિસ્થાપકતા અને સામાજિક મૂડી વિકસાવવા સક્ષમ બનાવીએ છીએ. ઓફિસ સેવાઓ સ્ટાફ અને ટ્રસ્ટીઓ નીતિઓ સુલભતા અને ટકાઉપણું

Our team transforms Local Spaces during Volunteers Week 2025 We rolled up our sleeves this week and got stuck in with some fantastic Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) as part of Volunteers Week 2025! We got out about in the local community to two fantastic local community groups: Team Paint Squad grabbed their brushes and got stuck in with smiles on their faces (and paint on their clothes!) to transform the Forest Fighting Fit studio with a fresh coat of paint - brightening up their space, recovery room, and bathrooms. Team Green Fingers headed down to Steam Mills to work their magic at the community garden for Cinderford Grows. Armed with gloves, tools, and plenty of enthusiasm, our team tackled overgrown areas, cleared stubborn weeds, and gave the pathway a beautiful fresh layer of wood chippings. Deb Cook, FVAF's Volunteering Manager said: "We all had a blast and were reminded that volunteering can be both rewarding and great fun!" A huge thank you to Forest Fighting Fit and Cinderford Grows for welcoming us with open arms.

🌟 Forest Volunteer Awards 2025 – Celebrating Local Heroes 🌟 This year, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible individuals, groups, and organisations who go the extra mile to make the Forest of Dean a better place. Whether they’re quietly making a difference or leading bold community change, we want to hear their stories. THE CATEGORIES: 🏆 Volunteer of the Year – People's Champion This is your chance to celebrate an unsung hero. Someone who consistently goes above and beyond to support others, uplift their community, or inspire through their own journey. Their dedication may have transformed lives—or even kept vital services running. We're looking for someone who: Shows exceptional dedication and commitment to their volunteer role Has made a significant positive impact on individuals or the wider community Demonstrates reliability, compassion, and selflessness May have overcome personal challenges while helping others Goes above and beyond to support those in need ✨ This is the only award chosen by public vote! Once finalists are announced, the community will decide who takes home the title. 🌱 Young Volunteer of the Year (21 & under) Recognising a young person who's making a big impact. Whether they've overcome personal challenges or shown outstanding commitment to helping others, this award celebrates young volunteers —in schools, clubs, or community projects. We're looking for a young person who: Demonstrates exceptional commitment to volunteering despite their age Serves as a role model and inspiration to other young people Shows maturity, leadership, and dedication beyond their years May have overcome personal obstacles while helping others Actively contributes to making their school, club, or community better Examples might include: peer mentoring, fundraising champions, environmental activists, community event organisers, or young carers who also volunteer. 🤝 Grassroots Group of the Year For small, volunteer-led groups making a big difference. From lunch clubs to sports teams, support circles to hobby groups—if your local group is powered by passion and community spirit, we want to celebrate it. We're looking for groups that: Are entirely or predominantly volunteer-run Demonstrate strong community impact despite limited resources Show innovation, creativity, and resilience in their approach Foster genuine connections and belonging among members Address local needs or bring people together around shared interests Operate with transparency, inclusivity, and community spirit Examples might include: village halls committees, friendship groups, local history societies, craft circles, walking groups, or neighbourhood support networks. 🏢 Community Organisation Award Recognising larger charities, CICs, CIOs, or teams of staff and volunteers making a meaningful impact in the Forest of Dean. We celebrate organisations that: Make a real difference by creating positive, lasting change in the local community Join forces with other local groups and partners to work together effectively Stay open and accountable while encouraging active community participation Keep evolving to meet new challenges and the changing needs of the community Use resources wisely to bring the greatest possible benefits to those who need them Stay true to the mission and focus on what matters most to the Forest of Dean Champion volunteering by effectively recruiting, supporting, and valuing volunteers This award highlights established organisations with formal structures, paid staff, and a commitment to fostering and sustaining volunteer contributions. 🏢💚 Business in the Community Award Celebrating local businesses that give back. Whether through employee volunteering, project sponsorship, or hands-on community support, this award recognises businesses that are making a real social impact. We're looking for businesses that: Go beyond profit to actively contribute to community wellbeing Encourage and support employee volunteering during work time Provide meaningful sponsorship, donations, or in-kind support Partner with local charities and community groups Operate with environmental and social responsibility Demonstrate genuine, long-term commitment to the Forest of Dean Examples might include: businesses offering apprenticeships to local youth, companies supporting community events, employers giving staff volunteer days, or businesses donating skills, space, or resources. ♿ Accessibility & Inclusion Award (sponsored by FoD Dementia Action Alliance) This award celebrates organisations or groups that are actively working to break down barriers and create welcoming, inclusive spaces. It's not about being perfect—it's about showing commitment to accessibility, equity, and belonging for all. We're looking for organisations that: Actively work to remove physical, social, or communication barriers Demonstrate understanding of diverse needs including disability, age, culture, and background Show ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and inclusion Provide training, support, or resources to become more inclusive Create environments where everyone feels valued and able to participate Take practical steps to accommodate different needs and abilities This could include: dementia-inclusive initiatives, wheelchair accessible improvements, sensory-friendly adaptations, multilingual support, or programmes specifically designed to welcome marginalised groups. 🌍 Community Climate Action Award (sponsored by Forest of Dean Climate Action Partnership) F or individuals or VCSE groups leading the way in environmental action. From community gardens and repair cafés to sustainable transport and flood resilience—if you're helping the Forest adapt and thrive in a changing climate, we want to hear from you. We're looking for nominees who: Take practical action to address climate change or environmental challenges Inspire and educate others about sustainable living Develop innovative solutions to local environmental issues Build community resilience to the impact of the changing climate Create lasting positive environmental change in the Forest of Dean Examples might include: renewable energy projects, sustainable food initiatives, active travel promotion, waste reduction campaigns, or climate adaptation projects. NOMINATIONS NOW CLOSED FAQs Who can nominate? Anyone can nominate! Whether you are an individual local resident, part of a community group or from a local government organisation. How can I nominate? It’s easy – just fill in our nomination form here or if you would prefer a paper copy you can request one via communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073. What information do I need to provide? Please provide plenty of detail about what the nominee has achieved and as much information as possible about them and their unique contribution. If you have any, please provide good quality photographs. Make sure that you have permission from anyone else in the photograph so that we can use it for media and promotional activities unless you tell us not to. Should I tell the person or organisation I am nominating them or keep it a surprise? Ideally it would be good to let them know once you have decided to nominate, just so that they are aware and happy for their story to be shared. We want to celebrate and shout about the wonderful work of volunteers which would include promotion via social media, on our website and to local press. How will it be judged? All nominations will be carefully considered by a panel of judges. This panel will be made up of a mix of unbiased and independent judges including; members of staff from FVAF, a FVAF trustee, and representatives from local councils, businesses and media. For more information or if you have any questions, email communications@fvaf.org.uk or call 01594 822073 .