On Thursday 2 May, we hosted our annual LSE Volunteer Awards and our 20th Anniversary alongside LSESU RAG! Our Awards aim to celebrate the many amazing student volunteers and recognise award winners for Volunteer of the Year, Voluntary Group of the Year and Voluntary Organisation of the Year. This year we had a record number of nominations, which you can read about in our blogposts for Volunteer of the Year part one and two, Voluntary Group of the Year, and Voluntary Organisation of the Year.

Another central part of our Awards ceremony is to hear from various representatives from the university about the power of volunteering in shaping the LSE student experience, as well as changing local and wider communities. We extend our gratitude to those who made speeches at the Awards, which were the following:

• Dr. Emma McCoy, Vice President and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education): Emma celebrated the wonderful achievement of LSE student volunteers and their contribution to the betterment of our community, both near and far from campus.
• Sarah Onifade, LSESU Welfare and Liberation Officer: Sarah connected her involvement in volunteering and charity to the Islamic principle of ‘sadaqah,’ as LSE volunteers embody compassion, selflessness and social justice.
• Jen Wilkins, Alumni President (2011-12) of LSESU RAG: Jen reflected on the inception of the LSE Volunteer Awards and how volunteers create a sense of community and efficacy.
• Noor Mansuri, President of LSESU RAG: Noor shared the amazing achievements of RAG this past year, including the launching of large-scale events and initiatives, such as Casino Night and the Fashion Show. Throughout the year, they raised £26,400 for charity!

After hearing from the speakers, we recognised the shortlisted candidates and Award winners!

LSE Voluntary Organisation of the Year: Spring ACT

Our Voluntary Organisation of the Year is Spring ACT! Spring ACT’s vision is to empower people to take action and help eliminate global social injustices through technology. Their mission is to collaborate with partners across borders and industries to connect people in vulnerable situations to the resources they require. Their purpose is to assist those in need through innovative solutions.

Spring ACT has joined the Volunteer Centre for our Community Engagement Programme, working closely with LSE students in the voluntary consultancy scheme, and is offering volunteering opportunities as a part of our Summer Volunteering Scheme for Disabled Students.

“The collaboration between Spring ACT and LSE Volunteer Centre, which has been nothing short of remarkable, has harnessed the power of technology and human rights to tackle pressing social issues on a global scale. Together, we’ve seen shining examples like Sophia Chat and Comeback CatZ, demonstrating what can be achieved with LSE students; Zainab Ali, Weili Zhai Bay, Clara Ng, Alyse Andre, Yi Jiang, Érika Huartos-Casteneda, Bhakti Thummar, Mahima Azad, and Jessica Li, by our side. Beyond LSE, we’ve established a strong volunteering community within the UK, with talents like Marta Nowak, David Haddington, Emily Haddington, Scarlett Moore, Alicia Arrowsmith, Natalie Brabben, Elodie Whyte, Jacqueline Ogbeta, Lorna Tappenden, Caitlin Gee, Halyna Kozlovska, Slav Konovalov, Brigita Stankeviciute, Juliana Ribeiro, and more joining us day by day, where passion meets purpose and expertise meets innovation. Thank you for letting us continuing in this journey with you!” – Simon Sundaraj Kühn

LSE Voluntary Group of the Year: HandsOff LSE

HandsOff LSE is a student campaigning group working hard to combat sexual harassment and violence on campus. They believe that no one should have to feel unsafe on campus and work closely with the School and LSESU to improve the process of reporting sexual misconduct and develop upon the flagship consent education programme.

As their nominator wrote, “HandsOff LSE has had an immensely difficult year this year. From supporting survivors through disclosures and reporting, to organising a response and action in the wake of the recent revelations in The Beaver, this hard and emotional work has been non-stop for the campaign.” We are proud to recognise HandsOff LSE as our first ever Voluntary Group of the Year!

“Winning the award for Volunteer Group of the Year means a lot to the HandsOff committee. We do a lot of work quietly – sending emails, organising meetings, and having conversations with survivors – so it was so motivating to have this work recongised. Winning the award has given us extra momentum to carry on our work into next year, and to continue to push for change at LSE.” – HandsOff LSE Committee

Outstanding Contribution to the LSE Community: Helen Bourne (BSc International Social and Public Policy 2025)

Helen Bourne (BSc International Social and Public Policy 2025) was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to the LSE Community Award for her inspirational participation in the LSE community. Her involvements include being President of the LSESU 93% Club, as a Student Volunteering Ambassador, as a fundraiser for The Penpont Project, and volunteer with Action for Conservation.

Helen’s nominator writes: “Helen is such a thoughtful and compassionate person; qualities that she brings to every volunteering opportunity that she takes on.”

LSE Volunteer of the Year: Anna Ward (BSc Politics and International Relations 2025) and Madeline Bryden (BA History 2024)

In honour of a record-breaking number of nominees as well as an exciting year of celebration for the Volunteer Centre, we are proud to share that we have two individuals recognised as Volunteer of the Year!

Anna Ward (BSc Politics and International Relations 2025) is a regular volunteer for the local girl guides, giving up every Tuesday evening to help better the community and help nurture the next generation. Alongside her regular role at Girl Guides, she has volunteered for both the 67th and 68th commissions on the status of women for UN Women. Furthering her work on gender equality, Anna has been key in arranging the Women in Politics Society’s fundraiser (bake sale) for Women’s Aid. She helped run the stall for their volunteering session focusing on letter writing for victims of domestic violence with SATEDA.

Anna’s nominator shares that “Anna is an incredible volunteer and a gift to the community around her.”

“I feel very honoured to have received this award. I feel humbled when seeing the fantastic work of all the nominees. For me, volunteering is about giving back to my community and caring for those who we share our world with; I wouldn’t be here without the hard work of many volunteers as I grew up.  Thank you to every volunteer!” – Anna Ward  

Madeline Bryden (BA History 2024) has been volunteering weekly at the Horniman Museum and Gardens as a Communications Volunteer since May 2023 and has transformed the internal and external visibility of their 150 volunteers and has reinvigorated their promotional routes to reach new volunteers, significantly increasing the number of applications to volunteering positions. Madeline also has been a great Student Volunteering Ambassador, promoting volunteering around LSE and organising Student Volunteering Week.

One of Madeline’s nominators writes: “Madeline has become a treasured and invaluable member of the Volunteering team. We hope she will NEVER leave us!”

‘Winning Volunteer of the Year was an incredible surprise, and one I am very grateful for! Volunteering has formed a big part of my experience at LSE, and it has been lovely to be recognised for my contributions. This award is really for the amazing support I have received from LSE and beyond, and the other volunteers that inspire me every day.’ – Madeline Bryden

Finally, we finished up the night with a video made by the Volunteer Centre. In honour of our 20th anniversary, we asked LSE students how volunteering has shaped their LSE experience.

“How we spend our time is the most important decision we face. LSE students spend it changing the lives of others through volunteering. They do this every single day of the year. It showcases the levels of compassion that run through our student communities” – David Coles, Volunteer Centre Manager

We will be sharing blogs over the next few months from our Award winners, detailing more about their volunteering experiences, so stay tuned for those. We’d like to say a massive thank you to our winners, nominees and supporters across the LSE community and charity sector. In our mission to inspire and empower students to volunteer, you have in turn inspired and empowered us!

If the 2024 Awards has inspired you to volunteer, check out one of our other ongoing opportunities or book a one-to-one with David Coles, the Volunteer Centre Manager if you have more questions. And why not follow us on Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with our events and opportunities and read our blog for more volunteering tips and stories.