An outstanding volunteer from Cardiff, has been recognised by Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort as part of the official Coronation celebrations in conjunction with Royal Voluntary Service.
Jenny Fortt volunteers with Dogs Trust Cardiff and has been recognised for her contribution and crowned a Coronation Champion. This follows a call out to the nation to nominate their volunteer heroes. Almost 5000 entries were received, with nominations made for individuals aged 14 up to 103.
Jenny impressed judges with her work supporting the work of the charity at its rehoming centre in Cardiff. She has donated 250 hours of her time since starting as a volunteer a year ago, and her main role as a volunteer has been a canine care assistant, walking and feeding the dogs. She has recently started to work on reception, as a meet and greet volunteer for the public.
Jenny is one of around 3000 volunteers who give their time to support the work of Dogs Trust, either in its charity shops, within the rehoming centres, supporting at Dogs School classes or as volunteer dog fosterers, providing a home from home for the dogs cared for by the charity until they find their forever families.
With the support of Her Majesty The Queen Consort, a passionate advocate of volunteering and President of Royal Voluntary Service, the Coronation Champions Awards were launched to recognise exceptional volunteers from across the country at this momentous point in history. Across the UK, 500 Champions dazzled the judging panel with the impact of their work, their inspirational stories and unwavering commitment to volunteering.
All Coronation Champions, including Jenny, have been invited to attend one of the official Coronation celebrations, such as the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert or a Coronation Garden Party. They will also receive a specially designed, official Coronation Champions pin and a certificate signed by Their Majesties.
Commenting on becoming a Coronation Champion, Dogs Trust Jenny Fortt said:
“It’s an honour to be named a Coronation Champion. I love volunteering with the team at Dogs Trust Cardiff and helping to care for the dogs in the rehoming centre. We all work hard to make a difference and protect animals, and it’s heart-warming to have my volunteering efforts recognised.
“I have loved every minute I’ve spent at Dogs Trust Cardiff. All the staff are amazing and their love for the dogs shines through. It is an absolute pleasure to help them in any way I can and I look forward to spending many more hours at the centre.”
Tabitha Buckle, Volunteer Coordinator at Dogs Trust Cardiff, says:
“Jenny has been an asset to the centre from the day she started. Weekends are a busy time for our staff, and she commits time every week to help them out. She can be found cleaning the kitchens, making everything super organised and most recently helping on reception. She aides the public in their search for a dog, facilitates meets between potential new owners and dogs, and really helps out the reception staff.
“As Dogs Trust experiences one of the busiest times in its history, services provided by volunteers like Jenny are vital, and we are incredibly grateful for her support.”
The Coronation Champions Awards invited people across the UK to nominate their local volunteering heroes who are going the extra mile. Nominations were made across eight award categories; supporting older people; supporting young people and children; crisis and welfare; community; sports, culture, and heritage; health and care; sustainability and the environment; and animal welfare.
Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: “We were completely blown away by the response to the Community Champions Awards and the huge volume of amazing nominees put forward. Our judges had a tough job selecting just 500 Champions from an array of thousands of inspirational individuals, who all deserve to be recognised and commended. “
“Each of our Coronation Champions displayed a commitment and contribution that far exceeds any expectation and we’re overjoyed to honour and thank them during this exciting point in history.”
