Edwards Lifesciences recognises exceptional contribution of older volunteers

NEWBURY, 30 May 2024 – Edwards Lifesciences today announced the winners of the Senior Changemakers: Volunteering Champions awards, in recognition of the exceptional contribution of older volunteers in the South East of England.

The Senior Changemakers Awards, held today at Reading Town Hall, honour the commitment and hard work of over-65s and highlight the value that older generations bring to their local communities through volunteering in three categories:

• Community Changemakers
• Culture Changemakers
• Intergenerational Mentoring Changemakers

The awards are an integral component of Edwards Lifesciences’ Senior Changemakers project, dedicated to honouring the invaluable contributions of older individuals, while also highlighting the genuine economic significance of volunteerism among people aged 65+. An official report into the social and economic impact of Senior Changemakers is to be launched later in the year.

“Demographic changes and medical advances mean that, for the first time, four generations share a longer lifespan together,” said Nick Walker, Sr. Country Director at Edwards Lifesciences UK & Ireland. “We see the immense value that older people bring to our communities, and by honouring volunteers for their outstanding contributions, we hope to highlight the significant impact that an older, active and engaged generation can have on society."

The Senior Changemakers project marks the latest stage of Edwards Lifesciences’ Unifying Generations strategy, launched in 2022. Unifying Generations is an initiative aimed at changing perceptions of the older population and emphasising their positive contribution to society and role as unifiers between the generations. The initial report, Unifying Generations: Building the Pathway to Intergenerational Solidarity, showcases the pivotal social and economic contributions of the senior generation, particularly in volunteering.[i]

The winners of the Edwards Lifesciences Senior Changemakers: Volunteering Champions Awards are:

• Community Changemaker Award:

Linda Jenkins, Motor Neurone Disease Association / Southcote Over-50s Club, Reading and West Berkshire

Linda, 70, volunteers at the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, which aims to support older people impacted by MND. She has raised thousands of pounds of the Reading MND charity and helps to run a social club for those impacted by the disease. Linda believes in this spirit of community and often organises events in her local community to raise awareness of the disease in a fun and creative way.

• Culture Changemaker Award:

Nigel Phillips, Age UK Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire

As a Creative Ambassador volunteer for Age UK Oxfordshire, Nigel, 74, uses his expertise to shape the organisation’s creative and cultural activities. Nigel has been actively participating in online and in-person meetings to champion creative ageing in his local community and encourage others to get involved to help reduce isolation and share knowledge and skills.

• Intergenerational Mentoring Changemaker Award:

Simon Bickerstaffe, Trailblazers Mentoring, East Sussex

As a mentor for Trailblazers Mentoring, Simon, 66, works with young offenders in custody six to nine months prior to their release and a further one year into the community. Simon has inspired young men to be open, vulnerable, and talk in a safe space about their troubles. He helps demonstrate the importance of community integration and seeing young men for who they are and not the crime they have committed.

The nominating charity of each winner will receive a £2,000 grant to continue their invaluable work.

“These awards bring much-needed recognition to the tireless efforts and impact of our volunteers,” commented Senior Changemakers judge, Ros Ede, long-term volunteer and Founder of The Ladies’ Lounge and Torbay Street Pastors. “At the Ladies’ Lounge, we witness first-hand the profound impact older volunteers have on our communities, and we fully support initiatives that acknowledge and celebrate their invaluable contributions."

To learn more about the wider Unifying Generations initiative and download the full report, please visit: https://www.edwards.com/gb/aboutus/unifying-generations/.

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About the Senior Changemakers: Volunteering Champions Award

A total of 65 charities in the South East of England were invited to nominate volunteers over the age of 65 for a Senior Changemakers: Volunteering Champions Award between November 2023 and March 2024. Nominations were reviewed by a panel of experts in the field of healthy ageing who assessed applicants against set criteria. Winners were selected based on the volunteers’ length of service and local community impact. Charities were also asked to contribute to the Senior Changemakers: Volunteering Champions report, which will assess the equivalent economic contribution of volunteering by older generations. The report will be published later this year.

About Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader of patient-focused innovations for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring. We are driven by a passion for patients, dedicated to improving and enhancing lives through partnerships with clinicians and stakeholders across the global healthcare landscape. For more information, visit Edwards.com/gb and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Edwards, Edwards Lifesciences, and the stylized E logo are trademarks of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

[i] Edwards Lifesciences. Unifying Generations: Building the Pathway to Intergenerational Solidarity in the UK report. 2022. Available at: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://nen.press/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/edwards_unifying-generations-report-uk-2022_online.pdf. Accessed: February 2024.