Wycombe Wanderers Sports & Education Trust are very pleased to announce that on International Women’s Day 2021, WWSET Delivery Officer (Health) Georgia Grou was named “Young Charity Woman of the Year” in the Buckinghamshire Women in Charity Awards.
The awards, which were set up and run by Community Impact Bucks for the first time this year, aim to shine a spotlight on and celebrate the amazing achievements of women from across Buckinghamshire, working and volunteering in the charity sector. More specifically, the Young Charity Woman of the Year was concerned with recognising an individual (25 years or below), who demonstrates exceptional talent and potential, displaying the skills and capabilities required to deliver great work and make a significant impact on the charity/organisation/community they support.
Gee, who was nominated for the awards by WWSET’s Head of Health Sam White, began with the organisation in September 2019 as an Apprentice Health Officer, and due to her high energy, enthusiasm and personable nature immediately became an integral part of the staff team and hugely popular within our community.
Perhaps due to lived experience, Gee has particularly thrived in her work on our “Keep Moving Forward” and “DoorSteppers” projects, both of which focus on assisting people facing mental health challenges, and her work in this area formed the basis for her nomination.
Specific examples of Gee’s amazing work over the past year include the fact that she:
· Has engaged one person who lives with crippling anxiety and depression, and through regular 1-2-1 chats and goal setting exercises, the gentleman recently expressed an interest in sports coaching. Via the implementation of further confidence building exercises, the gentleman agreed to help Gee deliver a session where he led the pre-activity stretching element. This was a huge step forward for him and something he admittedly would never have contemplated without Gee’s support.
· Has supported a gentleman who cares for his father who is suffering with dementia. Obviously this is a very challenging situation for the man but Gee has effectively supported and encouraged him to organise more respite periods and take much needed “me time”. Gee has also helped him establish much-needed coping strategies for when things become overwhelming.
· Recently received a distressing call from one of her members who was in a manic low and talking about taking her own life. Remembering her training, Gee immediately set about establishing an action plan and succeeded in supporting the person to relax back into a safe mental space. Gee quite literally saved the person’s life that night and continues to support many others in similar ways during this ongoing difficult time.
In summary, every day Gee dedicates herself to supporting people in her community who face significant challenges and hardships, and we can’t imagine anybody more deserving of an award like this!
Head of Health Sam White had this to say:
“We couldn’t be prouder of Gee for winning the Young Charity Woman of the Year Award. Gee’s passion for supporting and empowering people shines through every day, and she always goes above and beyond to help people within the community. This award is very well deserved.”
The award winner Georgia Grou had this to say about her achievement:
“I’m surprised but really happy that I’ve won the Young Charity Woman of the Year Award. I’m so grateful that I’m able to make a difference to my community, and I’d like to say a big thank you to every single person on the WWSET team for helping me develop and grow in to the person I am now. All of the team have played a role in teaching me, guiding me and filling my work life with positivity which has allowed me to go out and try to be a driving force for good in my community!”
*About Community Impact Bucks:
Buckinghamshire based organisation that supports people and groups to get involved and make a difference in local communities. They do this by offering expert advice and training, helping people to find volunteering opportunities, and helping charities and not for profit groups to get started, be effective and grow. They also have a number of directly delivered community services which focus on supporting those most in need – the elderly, vulnerable and socially isolated.
For more information visit: www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk
