Published Friday, 1st August 2025
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has honoured 41 local heroes for their selfless service to the borough and its communities.
The awards ceremony which took place on Monday 28 July at the Town Hall recognised individuals and in some cases groups of individuals, for their exemplary voluntary service in five categories, including Young Volunteer Award (3 winners), Individual Volunteer Award (18 winners), Individual Trustee Award (4 winners), Volunteer Team Award (6 winners), and Long Services Award (10 winners).
The Reigate & Banstead Volunteer Awards are organised each year in partnership with Voluntary Action Surrey East (VASE)
Presenting the awards, the Mayor of Reigate & Banstead, Cllr Rich Michalowski who was accompanied by the Mayoress, Mrs Michelle Gibney said: “As volunteers, you go above and beyond to serve our communities. Having read your stories, I can only describe you as local heroes. As a council, we are grateful for your contributions and these awards are one way for us to recognise your contribution.”
Stuart Matthew, Trustee of VASE said: “In these troubled times it is important to remember and celebrate those who willingly volunteer their time and energy to help others across our communities. These awards allow us to recognise outstanding individual contributions and to thank volunteers for the vital roles they play in supporting essential services.”
Below is the full list of winners:
Young Volunteer Award (up to 25 years old)
- George Chandler (25 years) - Loveworks
- Alessia Bryne (22 years) - YMCA East Surrey
- Alexandra Quantick (23 years) - Loveworks
Individual Volunteer Award (over 25 years old)
- Ruth Barker - I Choose Freedom
- Samantha Kern - The Lucy Rayner Foundation
- Mahjubeen Rabbani – Community Volunteer
- Tamara Mount – Community Volunteer
- Graham Norris - Merstham Litterpicking
- Ted Pottage - Surrey Coalition of Disabled People
- Liz Lord - The Royal Alfred Seafarers' Society
- Sarah Snell – Community Volunteer
- Sam Brooks - Stripey Stork
- Giti Zabiullah – Park Play
- Mindy Inocco - 444 Growing
- Gary Phipps - Furnistore in East Surrey Ltd
- Mandy O'Brien – Community Volunteer
- Jennifer Marks - East Surrey Hospital
- Barbara Leaver - Woodhatch Community Centre
- Wendy Wilde - St John Ambulance
- Karen Tucker - Loveworks
- Janice Ramsden - St Marks Food Club
Individual Trustee Award
- Richard Bradfield - Reigate Beekeepers' Association
- David Mathieson - Home-Start East Surrey
- Paul Tickle - Age Concern Banstead
- Nigel Scott - The Children's Trust
Volunteer Team Award
- Allen & Fiona Reilly - Horley Lions
- Salfords Primary School PTA Team - Emma Mitra and Emma Stone as Co-Chairs and Kym Jacks-Bryant as Treasurer
- Stripey Stork DofE Volunteer Support Team - Jo Smith, Ann Taylor, Sue Horton, Sally Wallis
- FRIDAY YOUTH - St Margaret's Church Chipstead - Kat Wicksteed, Gareth Lewis-Jones, Young People: Tabitha, Megan, Callum, Miriam, Chloe, Immy and Flic
- Crawley & Horley Hygiene Bank - Clare Excell & Lorraine Tippett
- Callum Hawker & Tom Walters - 1st Tadworth Sea Scout Group
Long Service Award (10+ years in volunteering)
- Joan Young – ReEngage
- Gladys Bowen – The Children’s Trust
- Avril Farley 1st Tadworth Brownies
- Nicki Murrill – The Brigitte Trust
- Sarah Murray-Obodynski - Home Start Epsom Ewell and Banstead
- Tony Brown - 17th Reigate Scouts
- Ivor Leyland - Age Concern Banstead
- Geoff Taylor - Age Concern Merstham Redhill Reigate and Furnistore in East Surrey
- Sarah Lopez – Tracks Through Pastures
- Katja Turner - Surrey Counselling & Mediation