Shropshire man wins national volunteering award
An 87-year-old Shropshire man ‘who sees jobs that need doing before he is asked’ has been named Volunteer of the Year at a national ceremony.
Brian Harper, from Shrewsbury, was handed the national title at the Third Sector Awards in London on Friday where judges recognised that he was an ‘absolutely indispensable’ volunteer for Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.
Brian attended the awards with his two daughters as well as Emilie Kerr, Events Marketing Coordinator at Lingen Davies, and Lou Childs, the charity administrator. The group sat with singer Tony Christie and, as a singer himself, Brian was delighted with that.
He said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed to have won, I thought it was just incredible to be shortlisted, but to have won is something I never dreamed of. I was so shocked I could have burst into tears!
“It is such an honour to be recognised and I am so proud to be a representative of Lingen Davies.
“There were some incredible charities mentioned at the award ceremony and so many people doing such wonderful things all over the country, it was fantastic to hear about them all.
“I would do all the volunteering I do for the charity without hesitation, but to have this award is just amazing. Lingen Davies does a wonderful job for people all across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, and Mid Wales, I am such a small part of it.”
Brian started volunteering for Lingen Davies Cancer Fund in 2021 and has been described as ‘completely dedicated’ to working hard for the benefit of others.
He spends two mornings a week with the team as a minimum and often also supports wider fundraising events in the community. He helps collect and distribute cans, supports bucket collections in supermarkets and other public places, acts as a brand ambassador for the charity - spreading the word wherever he goes, sells Christmas cards across the country, mans and directs car parking at events, supports the office team with a wide variety of administrative tasks, and sources raffle and auction prizes for events.
During his career he spent almost 50 years working in and with the Royal Army Medical Corps – rising to the rank of Major.
He married his wife Christine, a nurse from Chepstow, in 1959 and they settled in Shrewsbury in the late 1980s, where he began work in a staff officer medical post in Shrewsbury Headquarters for 14 years.
He has been volunteering for a number of places since he retired in 2002, including at Robert Jones Agnes Hunt Hospital in Oswestry and the Shrewsbury Flower Show.
For The Third Sector award, Brian was shortlisted alongside volunteers for charities across the country including 3food4u, Stella Maris, The Listening Place, Band of Builders and Freedom from Torture.
Naomi Atkin, CEO at Lingen Davies, said: “Brian is a critical part of our volunteer team and he is always a safe pair of hands.
“He is always one of the first people to offer to help at events and is such a friendly and welcoming face to those arriving.
“His dedication has never waivered and we are absolutely thrilled that he has been recognised at a national award ceremony.
“People like Brian are vital to local charities across the country and it is wonderful to see him stood up there alongside so many other people, he truly deserves this and I am told he was like a celebrity by the end of the night!”
