Dave Hardy wins Volunteer of the Year GCPA award

Lilian Faithfull Care are delighted that volunteer Dave Hardy, won Volunteer of the Year, at this year’s Gloucestershire Care Providers Association (GCPA) awards event.

The GCPA awards celebrate the very best who work in the independent care sector in the county and the event was held on Friday 29 September at the Hatherley Manor.

The Volunteer of the Year Award category was, ‘a volunteer that has shown amazing dedication and passion for their role, contributing to the effective running of a care setting out of the kindness of their hearts.’

Dave Hardy is a worthy winner as he is an amazingly dedicated and passionate volunteer at Royal Court care home in Cheltenham.

Dave is registered blind, and his sight is partial, but this doesn’t stop him helping others. In fact he says he gets so much of from it himself. Dave shared with us that he was in a low place personally before he volunteered, and helping Royal Court care home gives him a great sense of purpose.

David has been volunteering for 6 years for at least two days a week. Dave used to work at Royal Court many years ago as a Support Worker, when it was a sheltered accommodation home. This was where he first met his wife Doreen, who accompanied Dave to the awards.

Fiona Gillon, Care Home Manager shared, “Dave lives next door to the care home and one day he just came and asked if we would be interested in a volunteer. Dave’s commitment to the care home is outstanding. He provides much needed help to our staff and compassion, companionship and quality of life for our residents. Plus, he has a great sense of humour, telling lots of jokes and putting smiles on residents and staff’s faces.”

Here’s a typical day for Dave… He arrives greeting everyone with his friendly face. He’s a very independent volunteer and in the morning he finds out which residents he can befriend, which might need extra company and goes off to visit them. He takes people to the home’s hair salon and sits with them chewing the cud. At lunch time he sits with the staff and shares his funny jokes – which always guarantees a smile. In the afternoon Dave then visits residents in Royal Court’s dementia care wing, spending time doing activities with them – inside and out.

Dave helps with activities, often coming up with ideas for opportunities and activities that residents might like to get involved in.

He is a true ambassador for the care sector, especially Lilian Faithfull Care, and regularly sings the praises of Royal Court’s care across his vast community network, sporting connections and on his local radio station.

Fiona summed it up with,

“It’s a delight to have Dave visit and we really appreciate his long standing contribution to our care home and our charity. Every home deserves a Dave!”

The team at Royal Court care home were delighted to attend the event with Dave and his wife Doreen. They were all ecstatic for Dave when he was announced the winner and enjoyed celebrating with him.

The charity are very proud of all their nominations and congratulate the fantastic winners.