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Sir Bobby celebrated at voluntary sector awards ceremony

Sir Bobby Robson was celebrated amongst the region’s voluntary and community Sector stars last night at the 2009 North East VCS Awards, held at the Radisson Hotel, Durham.

Professor Ruth Plummer accepted the VONNE special award for outstanding contribution to the sector on behalf of Sir Bobby. Professor Plummer was Sir Bobby’s oncologist and it was she who asked Sir Bobby to help with fundraising for the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Fellow winners were presented with awards at a ceremony attended by over 180 people. The awards recognise the work of individuals and Voluntary and Community Sector organisations from across the region.

The judging panel made a special campaigning award to NCJ Media in recognition of the campaign they led to save the Northern Rock Foundation and the work they regularly do in supporting local charities and community groups.

Jo Curry, chief executive of Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East (VONNE), says: “NCJ Media could have made the Northern Rock crisis into a bad news story. Instead they chose to throw their weight behind the effort to save the Northern Rock Foundation. Consequently the Chancellor made an announcement in February 2008 to continue funding the foundation for three years to the value of £45m. Hundreds of voluntary organisations will benefit from this.

“The aim of this award ceremony is to shine the spotlight on the tremendous work that is carried out by individuals, groups and organisations in the voluntary and community sector in the North East. The determination of individuals to overcome disadvantage, to circumvent the challenges that they face and to seek to change the lives of people and communities in the region shone from the nominations that we received.”

For further information on the winners visit www.vonne.org.uk/awards

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .