The Volunteer Award is intended to celebrate volunteers and recognise the value of volunteering; showcase volunteers and the contribution they make; and encourage volunteering through a variety of roles.
Congratulations to the 2025 winner Sandra Pullen, who volunteers for the national Gardens Trust’s events team. Sandra and the other winners received a unique framed certificate and glass keepsake at our Volunteer Celebration at Stowe on Wednesday 9th July.
Criteria
Anybody can nominate someone they know for the Award, but candidates must be active volunteers with either a County Gardens Trust or the Gardens Trust. They can be nominated as an individual or as a team.
Candidates will need to be volunteers involved in at least one of the following, in the past 2 years:
- Making a difference to the day to day running of a County Gardens Trust or the national Gardens Trust
- The research and conservation aspects of a County Gardens Trust or the national Gardens Trust
- Work for a County Gardens Trust or the Gardens Trust to reach new audiences to encourage interest and/or involvement in garden history
Having been launched for the GT’s 10th anniversary in 2025, both the Long-Service and Newcomer awards will be awarded again when there are appropriate nominees. Please simply make your nomination to the overall award scheme and the judging panel will assess which award is most appropriate.
We will celebrate the recipients of the award at our Volunteer Celebration Day on Friday 12 June at the Plantation Garden in Norwich. Details to follow.
To make a nomination
Nominations are now open for 2026 – deadline Friday 8 May
Fill in the form below or alternatively download a GT Volunteer Award Application Form here and return this to catherine.ford@thegardenstrust.org
You may wish to email Catherine sooner to check that your nominee hasn’t already been put forward by someone else.
