Who is your 2021 Volunteer of the Year?

Without volunteers, young people simply wouldn't experience the incredible impact they do from the Trust. They are the heartbeat of our trips. Whether a supportive word or an empathetic ear, our volunteers are heroes helping young people take life-changing steps. That's arguably been more true this year than any other.

Our awesome volunteers keep trips safe and fun, all the while being ready at a moment’s notice to support the young people they are with - now you have the chance to show our volunteers just how much you appreciate them by nominating them for our Luke Gilbert Volunteer of the Year Award!

This year has seen a particularly extraordinary effort from our team of volunteers. Not only have they travelled all over the country to help support the 2021 Taste of the Trust days and return residential and sailing weeks, but they've been at the forefront of keeping everyone COVID safe, making sure temperatures have been checked, sanitiser has been liberally applied and masks have been worn at the right times.

With a few inevitable nerves around coming out of lockdown and being with, and talking to, new people again, they have also provided the friendly voice of reassurance. Young people have needed the Trust more than ever this year. Our volunteers have made sure they got exactly what they needed.

So who's been your 2021 Luke Gilbert Volunteer of the Year?

• Maybe it's someone you met on a Taste of the Trust day and has inspired you to come back for the full four day sailing experience next summer?
• Perhaps it's a 'graduate volunteer' who's made you believe it's possible to follow a certain pathway in your education or career?
• Has there been a volunteer on a return trip, who's energy, enthusiasm and empathy was just what you needed after a difficult year of lockdown and isolation?
• Is there someone whose exploits in supporting our fundraising efforts have just blown your mind this year?

Entries close on Monday 21 February. So now is the time to think about who made a difference to you this year or for someone to still do something incredible that warrants you nominating them as your Volunteer of the Year.

How do I nominate?

Go to the Volunteer page on our website here - Volunteer with us - and scroll down to the Volunteer of the Year section. Click on the button, complete the nomination form and that's it!

The Volunteer of the Year Award was introduced in 2017 to celebrate the life of young person and volunteer, Luke Gilbert, who sadly passed away in 2016.

Anyone can make a nomination. The only criteria is that a volunteer embodies Luke’s incredible personality, sense of humour and fun, enthusiasm and compassion, and they have volunteered on a trip or at an event in 2021. They must not be a skipper or a paid member of the Trust team

An independent panel, including Luke’s mum Julie, judges the nominations. The winner will be announced at the Trust’s annual Volunteer Training Day in the spring.