Byker community volunteers celebrated at 'Voscars'

1950’s Hollywood glamour will be coming to Byker, as the community holds its second Byker Voscars, to say thank you to its hardest working local volunteers. This event will acknowledge and celebrate the volunteers’ hard work in creating a better community, in the heart of Byker.

Kevin Coombs, Cooperative Communities facilitator stated, “Byker has an exceptionally strong community spirit, people like to help each other, this often goes unrecognised but is the ‘glue’ that holds neighbourhoods together. The Byker Voscars event enables us to celebrate that community spirit and celebrate the achievements of volunteers.”

Byker has a high percentage of unemployed people and the associated social problems that often come with that, but with a large heart, strong community and hardworking volunteers who sacrifice their time and resources, help make it a better place to live.

With recent public spending cuts, the organisers, (The Byker Ward Committee and Secret Sauce) have looked to local businesses to help fund this evening, and who have thankfully understood the events importance with many offering cash sponsorships.

Graham Scanlon, business development director at Keepmoat Regeneration who are the headline sponsor mentioned, “Keepmoat has a long standing relationship with the Byker Community and now with our partnership with the Byker Community Trust we can continue to commit to delivering both physical and community programmes that can make a positive difference to local people.

“We are proud to be sponsoring and supporting the 2013 Byker Voscars. We understand the commitment local people have made as volunteers to make Byker better and sustain its sense of community. It is fantastic the Voscars are recognising volunteers and the hard work they do.”

In today’s cynical and often materialistically focused environment, these people remind us that helping one another and being part of a community can enrich other people’s lives and our own. It is great to have a good news story in the Byker area and a set of role models who are inspirational to the community.

The value to the community cannot be measured monetarily; however, the efforts of these people are creating positive intangible benefits that make Byker residents proud. The Byker Community Trust is supporting the Byker Voscars because they appreciate the hard work and dedication of these individuals.

Jill Haley, chief officer of the Byker Community Trust, commented, “Too often the ‘good people currency’ goes unrecognised and we think it is important to make volunteers feel they do make a difference and that they perform useful and valuable roles in today’s society.”

The event is supported by Newcastle Council, Keepmoat, Galliford Try, Bell Decorating Group, Byker Community Trust, JC Events and Winns Solicitors.

The Byker Community offer their sincere thanks for the contributions made by these organisations, which helps sustain the goodwill of volunteers.

The Voscars take place on November 29th.

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