A lot of people contribute to the success of the club and its teams, both at pitch side and behind the scenes - a lot of it unseen - but the appreciation of what our volunteers do was reflected in the nominations received from members for the Volunteer of the Year 2024/25.

A total of 13 nomination were received for 8 volunteers and from these, our panel of judges picked Corinne and Aaron Jones as this year’s Volunteers of the Year. Their nominations speak for themselves:

“In a testament to perseverance and leadership, Corinne and Aaron have transformed a struggling team into a success story. After three winless seasons, with declining numbers they took a leap of faith to transition to Open Age early. That decision and their commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a spirit of camaraderie inspired players to persevere. Under their guidance, the team has not only established itself but also celebrated its first successful season at open age. Corinne and Aaron's dedication has ignited a passion and confidence that promises a bright future. Their efforts exemplify the true spirit of volunteering, making them deserving candidates for Volunteers of the Year”, and “Aaron is a fantastic manager and Corinne because of all the work she does behind the scenes - she does a lot for our team”.

Corinne and Aaron are pictured (with players from the Development team) with the award which was presented to them by our Chairman, James Skinner, at training last night.

Corinne and Aaron join our previous volunteers recognised in this way:
2023-34: Karen Kitahara

2022-23: Gary Hill

2021-22: Andrew Hobson
 
As a club run entirely for and by its members and operated entirely by volunteers, the contributions of all of our volunteers are absolutely essential to being able to provide training and match opportunities for our players, as well as putting on various social events throughout the year. Also nominated by club members for their selfless volunteering in 2024/25 were:

Andy Hobson - new u13 Phoenix and u14 Bobcats Manager
”Andy stepped in and took on coaching the under 13s as well as the under 14s which is a huge commitment in time and effort. He has taken the time to get to know each of the girls through the training sessions he runs and zoom calls during his evenings. Andy is continually encouraging, challenging and supporting the girls to improve their game and bring them together as a team. They are already showing progress in the short space of time he has been their coach and we cannot thank him enough for all of the time and effort he is putting in to helping them become the best that they can be!”

Gary Hill[/b} - under 12 Lionesses
”Gary gives his spare time to helping create a team that he knows are able to go far, helping improve their skills  and encouraging them to achieve their full potential. I'm sure the girls on the team and the parents all appreciate the effort. We certainly do!”

[b]Paul Randle - Wildcats and under 8 Wildcats
”Comes without family, is positive, encouraging, caring and consistent”

Andy Payne - Women’s Development
”Always runs the line and helps me out with the back line. Constantly giving me advice and helping me improve my game”

Karen Kitahara - u14 Bobcats
”Karen supports the u14 with a calm and organised approach. She is a star”

David Kwiatek - Women’s 1st Team & Club Secretary
”David works tirelessly supporting players and coaches - the hours he puts in must be huge - and the club wouldn’t exist without him!”

Whilst the volunteers that have been nominated have deservedly received recognition for their efforts, we thank and salute all of our volunteers who contribute and help out in so many different ways!