VOLUNTEERS from across Redcar and Cleveland have been recognised for their dedication, compassion and commitment to supporting their communities at the Mayor’s annual Community Achievement Awards.
The event, held on Wednesday 11 March 2026, at Redcar Civic Centre, shines a spotlight on the individuals and groups whose efforts often go unseen but make a real difference to the lives of others across the borough.
This year saw a fantastic number of nominations, with local Ward Councillors and Council staff who work directly in communities putting forward individuals and groups who they felt deserved to be celebrated.
Speaking at the event, the Cllr Ian Hart, The Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland said: “I am delighted to see so many of the borough’s community heroes gathered in one room. Everybody here fully deserves to be recognised and tonight is a token of our appreciation for all their hard work.
“The true winners are the residents of Redcar and Cleveland, who benefit every day from the generosity, friendship and commitment shown by those who volunteer their time to support others.”
Guests also enjoyed music on the night from one of the nominees, The Local Vocals Choir from Eston, who performed two songs as part of the celebrations.
The 27 winners recognised at this year’s event were:
The Brotton Over 60s Friendly Club
Founded more than 40 years ago, the club provides a warm, welcoming space where older residents can enjoy weekly bingo sessions, a cuppa and the chance to meet new people. The group plays a vital role in reducing loneliness and isolation, offering friendship, conversation and meaningful connection in an age‑friendly environment.
Sam Jackson, Coatham, Redcar
Sam has transformed the alley‑gated area between Muriel and Alfred Street into a vibrant, welcoming community space. Through her encouragement, enthusiasm and hard graft, what was once a drab area affected by waste and security issues is now a safe, welcoming place, brought to life with murals, flowers and planting. It has become somewhere children can play safely and where neighbours can meet to chat and relax.
Tom Cave, Dormanstown
Tom is one of the volunteers at the Chris Cave foundation, based in Locke Park, Redcar. He helps to educate young people about knife crime through sharing his story about his brother’s horrific murder, helping to make a change and difference for young people to choose to put down the knife.
Park Court Ladies Group, Dormanstown
Jennifer Robinson, 84, Violet Johnson, 88, and Elaine McQuillian, 66, have spent a combined 48 years volunteering in their local community. The community group they run is based in Park Court, Dormanstown, and it has been going for over 30 years. They run bingo sessions, social nights, Christmas parties, day trips, etc on a weekly basis with over 20 residents attending regularly, helping people to get out and socialise.
All Our Futures Young Rangers
These passionate and dedicated young people have worked incredibly hard over the last two years, volunteering in their own time across Redcar and Cleveland, developing knowledge and skills and enabling themselves to be our future environmental champions.
Supported by The Junction Foundation and Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, the group has worked with partners, local communities, groups and the Council to steer the development and transformation of neglected greenspaces across the borough into welcoming community spaces for people to enjoy and for nature to thrive.
The Local Vocals Choir, Eston
This wonderful choir dedicate their time to bringing the community together through voice and talent, while also raising money for local causes, helping to fund the local food bank and the work of Whale Hill Community Centre. This nomination recognises the incredible work they do and the positive impact they have across the ward. Local Vocals Choir truly represent community spirit, dedication, and generosity.
Guisborough Museum Volunteers
The museum is run completely by volunteers on a small budget. They do an excellent job in preserving, archiving and presenting the history and heritage of the town for residents and visitors. Over a thousand people a year visit during the open season.
The museum is one of the town’s key heritage attractions. The team of willing and hard-working volunteers maintain a significant asset to the town.
Guisborough Eco Group – Repair Café Volunteers
Skilled Volunteers meet on the last Saturday morning of each month at the Methodist Church Hall where they repair items such as broken furniture, wooden objects, mend clothing, fix toys, bikes and support with computer software issues.
The café offers a friendly social space where volunteers meet and offer free repairs. The project also prevents waste by helping the community to repair items, cutting down costs of buying new and reducing carbon emissions.
Jenny Tyrie, Guisborough
Jenny is an unsung hero, always rushing around town working for the whole community. If she isn’t helping the Methodist Church to serve soup and rolls to the community, or supporting Guisborough uniform bank, she is seen litter picking throughout the town and supporting endless charities.
The Morgan Family
Sam Morgan was a young vibrant man who served his country in the armed forces but sadly took his life due to PTSD. Instead of his family lying in their grief they have fought and campaigned for a better life for veterans and soldiers, through supporting healthier heroes’ charity “Morgan House” at Boosbeck, dedicated to supporting veterans on their journey of recovery and reintegration into society.
Grangetown Generations
The team are made up entirely of volunteers based across two community facilities. They give up their own time to support others out of a genuine desire to improve the lives of people.
The volunteers deliver a wide range of community-led activities and services, providing safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces for residents of all ages. Their work tackles social isolation, reduces poverty, supports wellbeing and strengthens community cohesion at a grassroots level. Grangetown Generations is a lifeline for many residents.
Grangetown Memorial Tree and Events Group
The group was set up by residents Lisa, Tracey, Rob and Aimee who every year purchase a Christmas Tree and invite the local community to place a bauble on the tree in memory of a loved one. Over the years it has grown into a special event with the community and the group is now also planning a summer event.
Stardust Dance Academy
The academy opened 18 yrs ago with only 6 children attending. Today, Jenna, with support from her amazing team, teach up to 70 children 4 nights a week. They teach Tap, Modern, Jazz, etc combined with voice and acting coaching. The school strives to provide affordable access for children to not only learn to dance, act and sing, but meet new friends, be part of a team, improve confidence and self-esteem.
It’s a real community dance school with active parent, grandparent and carer volunteers who help with fundraising which goes back into supporting the children and young people.
David Dipple, Kirkleatham
David runs the Little Seeds Toddler group from St Hilda's Church and Rhyme Time Group at Zetland Methodist Church. He also hands out selection boxes as Santa for families who struggle at Christmas. He leads the Redcar Community Choir who perform at Veterans events and is involved in a Dementia Choir. David never stops and is a credit to the community.
Jade Cotton – The Last Hope Group
Jade helps vulnerable adults who suffer from homelessness and addictions. She has come through similar experiences herself and with the help of other volunteers, shows humanity to those who need it most, with food and entertainment.
John Whitehead, Lockwood
John is an enthusiastic all-rounder in his voluntary work for the Lockwood community. In addition to community and environmental work in his own village of Stanghow, John is an enthusiastic Chair of Governors at Lingdale Primary School, where he fully relates to both staff and pupils. John involves himself wholeheartedly in all school events, whether they be educational or entertaining. He is also a committed member of St Mary’s Church, Moorsholm, playing the organ.
East Cleveland Good Neighbours
The group was formed during Covid as a community response and evolved into a Food Bank that serves the community of rural East Cleveland. It has a team of volunteers who undertake a variety of roles including a phone help line 7 days a week. The food parcels help people who are struggling with food provision, toiletries, cleaning products etc.
Liverton Mines Community Hall Committee
The Committee took over the running of the hall two years ago and have transformed the space, decorating and improving the building for the community to use and enjoy. There are now regular activities taking place. They are a wonderful example of a community working together for each other.
Milda Vadeikiene, Normanby
Milda is a volunteer who works tirelessly, regularly out and about litter picking in the area and always looking at how she can contribute to the community. She sets an outstanding example of what it means to volunteer for the good of the community.
Janet Danks and Lesley Tart, Ormesby
Janet and Lesley have provided great support to the St Cuthberts Church, Ormesby. Janet is a Church Warden and has been instrumental in keeping the place going through difficult periods, raising money for the church. Lesley, the Church Council Secretary, was instrumental in getting the church recognised as Dementia friendly.
Bill Cook, Saltburn
For more than four decades, Bill has demonstrated exceptional commitment to community sport through his voluntary service with Saltburn and Marske Amateur Swimming Club. Serving as Head Coach during the 1980s and continuing his work poolside in 2026. Bill has dedicated thousands of hours to developing swimmers of all ages, inspiring confidence, discipline, and a lifelong love of swimming. His lasting influence is reflected in the generations of families, he has coached many of the young swimmers he teaches today are the children and grandchildren of those he first trained years ago.
Man Cave Saltburn
Man Cave provides an informal meeting place for men of all backgrounds in the town and surrounding areas who are over 50.
Every Thursday afternoon a community of fellowship and support gathers in Emmanuel Church Hall, extending a warm welcome and an invitation to share experiences and engage to whatever degree they choose. Man Cave is led by a welcoming team whose continuing efforts of bringing individuals together and offering every opportunity to make friends, feeling safe and listened to, is to be highly commended.
Friends of Skelton Library
The Friends Group together with librarian Michelle King have transformed a piece of derelict, waste ground at the back of the library into a lovely garden especially for children and parents/carers to enjoy. They fundraised for equipment and got a local business to provide fencing and topsoil, and the local children involved with planting. The group supports the library with every project or session giving up their time to help run events and activities.
South Bank United Football Club
The Club was founded by a group of lifelong friends from the South Bank area, brought together by a shared love of football and a dream to restore pride, opportunity, and great footballing days to the community.
What began as a simple idea has quickly grown into something special. The club is currently top of the Manjaros Langbaurgh League Division One and has reached the semi-final of the North Riding Challenge County Cup.
The club is run entirely by volunteers. The committee members have given countless hours of unpaid time to build the foundations.
The aim is to create a lasting community hub where football is accessible to everyone, regardless of age or gender.
Michael and Jackie Carling, Redcar
They have over the last few years led a community group of volunteers in the Borough Park Rose Garden planting many rose trees and bushes and spending several hours each week maintaining and cultivating the garden in the park. They have raised funds by applying and obtaining grants as well as running a weekly coffee morning in the Bowls Club for funds for the park.
Michael “Mick” Barclay, Redcar
Michael (Mick) Barclay set up the Ray Barclay Foundation as a tribute to his dad, Ray, who sadly passed away on a cancer ward at The James Cook Hospital. He puts on fundraisers for the hospital and has raised over £10,000, which has helped to build a pergola with wheelchair access in the cancer ward garden to allow poorly patients and their families to spend more time together outside.
Nathan Mortimer, Redcar
Nathan is a 22-year-old young man who came to the Community Stepping Stones Charity three years ago, working in the cafe. Nathan, who has autism, has slowly built his confidence to deal with customers. He has expanded his days as a volunteer and helps run the Library at Redcar East bringing a great contribution to the place.