Winners 2026

Retail Volunteer of the Year

Gill Robertson

Gill has been a volunteer with Blue Cross in Hampshire for over 15 years, and is always happy, positive and goes above and beyond in her role – even taking bags of donations home with her to sort and bring back to the shop on her next shift. The toy and book sections are always the highest sellers in the store and this is entirely down to Gill’s relentless hard work and attention to detail. She is reliable as clockwork, even staying extra hours when there is a surplus of donations to organise. Gill supports new volunteers by sharing her experience as a volunteer and helping them to settle into their role.

Foster Carer Volunteer of the Year

Deana North

Deana has volunteered at the Thirsk Rehoming Centre for 23 years and has worked as an onsite volunteer, dog walker, ambassador dog owner and cat fosterer. She began volunteering by caring for the dogs at the Centre and, in 2012, adopted a puppy from the Centre who ended up supporting with socialisation activities before she passed away in 2025. Deana now fosters cats and has so far helped 8 cats to find their forever homes. She provides food, litter and toys for all the cats in her care and takes them for all of their check-ups and vaccinations while they are with her. Deana also supports fundraising events at the Centre and is an all-round reliable and trustworthy volunteer.

Horse/Equine Volunteer of the Year

Andrew Allott

Andrew is a volunteer at the Thirsk Rehoming Centre, where he works as a driver to take horses to their foster care and supports foster carers with jobs to benefit the horses. He comes to the Centre every Saturday with his daughter, helping to maintain the yard and with administration around the foster care of the horses. His support with accompanying the horses to their foster care placements means that staff are able to stay at the Centre and train the ponies. Andrew is always cheerful and chatty, a valued member of the team who is committed to the charity.

Rehoming Volunteer of the Year

Alison Jones

Alison has volunteered at the Hertfordshire Rehoming Centre cattery for over 20 years and there isn’t a single task that she has been unable to take on. She is completely reliable and a complete whirlwind of activity when she arrives at the Centre, there is not a cat left without being made a fuss of. Alison is trained to work with cats at the Centre which means that staff can trust her to work independently in the cattery. She steps in wherever she is needed and is an incredible asset to the charity.

Volunteer Team of the Year

Pet Loss Support Volunteers

The Pet Loss Service has been running for 30 years and is a free, confidential helpline for pet owners who have lost their pet through death, enforced separation or theft. This team of volunteers not only provide compassionate support to those who use the service, but many of them also take on extra roles such as training and mentoring new volunteers. They also step in to cover shifts at short notice and offer their time to assist with administrative tasks and the implementation of new procedures. This service is unique and would not run without the dedication and commitment of this team of volunteers. Blue Cross regularly receive letters, calls and emails from service users which further highlight the impact that these volunteers make to helping people come to terms with the loss of a pet.

Community Champion Volunteer of the Year

Frances Robins

Fran has volunteered with Blue Cross for 25 years as a fundraiser, helping to raise thousands of pounds for the charity. She spends hours making crafts to sell and washing thousands of teddies for her well known teddy tombola. She also travels around Devon to raise awareness of the work of the charity and also to raise important funds for Blue Cross. Over the past couple of years, Fran and her partner have been fostering dogs and have become an integral part of the fostering team, taking on some difficult dogs and preparing them for their future home. Her kindness, compassion and wonderful nature means nothing is too much trouble for her, despite dealing with her own health problems.

Education Team Volunteer of the Year

Eileen Welsh

Eileen has been an Education Volunteer for 18 years and has delivered hundreds of talks to thousands of children. She is a true animal lover and tries to instil this in the next generation. She is enthusiastic about all things education and jumps at the chance to deliver dog safety talks in Newcastle, always full of ideas about how to make them more interesting for children. Eileen’s talks are famous around Newcastle, and her fellow volunteers have seen the real-world impact that they have had with young people sharing the messaging that they have learnt. She is a positive, reliable and thoughtful volunteer who supports a range of Education activities at Blue Cross.

Pet Loss Support Volunteer of the Year

Yvonne Stewart

Yvonne has been a trusted volunteer on the Pet Loss Support telephone helpline for 11 years, consistently demonstrating exceptional dedication and compassion. She receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from callers, with many highlighting her ability to truly listen and provide thoughtful and supportive responses to everyone who reaches out. Yvonne generously gives her time to support her fellow volunteers, running additional practice calls, offering constructive feedback and creating a safe space where volunteers can build their confidence. She is trusted by staff to deal with more complex or sensitive situations, providing ongoing support to volunteers who feel like they may need additional training. Her dedication, empathy and willingness to go above and beyond make her an invaluable member of the team.

Veterinary Volunteer of the Year

Rio Morrison

Rio has been a volunteer at the Merton hospital for the last year, and has been an incredible help in making sure the hospital runs smoothly, especially when they are short staffed. She always comes in with a smile, helping with a wide variety of tasks including cleaning theatre or the dental suite, cleaning kennels, keeping on top of laundry and sterilising surgical equipment. Her support with these tasks allows the nurses to focus on their patients and perform their nursing duties.

Biggest Impact or Achievement of the Year

Su Pond

Su is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to supporting the Pet Loss Support team. She volunteers on multiple services and also supports trainees with their training and practice calls. She is dedicated to getting the best out of her fellow volunteers and, with her experience, she supports new volunteers. This dedication is invaluable not only to the trainees but also to the whole Pet Loss Support team. Su also supports the administration team who deal with volunteer applications and is the first point of contact for the next stages of enrolment and training. Her time, effort and support is a huge help to the whole team.