Special Recognition for Volunteering Student

A student’s keen volunteering work ethic has led to a special recognition award at a recent Awards Ceremony. 

Jake Read, 27, from Plymouth, is studying for a Foundation Degree in Exercise Science and Fitness at South Devon College, and has been working with Plymouth Raiders Basketball team to help promote Health and Fitness in Primary Schools. This healthy living education programme, dubbed “Hoops for Health”, uses Basketball as an activity to convey a range of positive health messages to young people. Jake won an award for “Outstanding Contribution to the Hoops 4 Health Programme” at the recent Volunteer Awards ceremony in Plymouth, for being been “the most committed and reliable student involved with this project”, according to staff at Plymouth University, who help fund the Hoops 4 Health programme with Plymouth City Council.

Jake said of the award, “It really made everything feel worthwhile and it was nice to be recognised for all the hard work involved in the organisation. The Raiders have been great to work with, a really good bunch of guys who all enjoyed working in the schools. The kids responded really well to them as they, quite literally, had someone to look up to!”

The popularity of the basketball sessions has even caused primary schools in the Plymouth area to hold a basketball tournament for teams that have taken part in the Hoops 4 Health programme. Next year, Jake is hoping to complete the final year of his South Devon College degree course at Plymouth University, who validate the College’s degree courses, in the hope of going on to do Physiotherapy. Jake has had many different volunteering positions in the past, including the Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall, and since starting his course has been volunteering even more, thanks to the ‘Learning through Volunteering Scheme’. This is open to anyone on a university level course at Plymouth University or South Devon College.