Lindfield man named ‘Volunteer of the Year’ for supporting young people recovering from cancer

A gardener and keen sailor from Lindfield has been named ‘Volunteer of the Year’ for his support of young people recovering from cancer.
Alex Rickman with volunteer award SUS-200323-150526001Alex Rickman with volunteer award SUS-200323-150526001
Alex Rickman with volunteer award SUS-200323-150526001

Alex Rickman, 37, was presented with the Ellen MacArther Cancer Trust’s Luke Gilbert Volunteer of the Year award at the trust’s annual Volunteer Day in Birmingham on Saturday, March 7, following nominations by young people, volunteers and trust staff.

He has volunteered with the trust for three years and works as a self-employed gardener and groundsman and has a history of working with young people through Cubs, Scouts and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

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The Ellen MacArther Cancer Trust is a national charity that supports young people aged 8-24 to rebuild their confidence after cancer through sailing and residential adventure trips.

Alex Rickman with Danielle Clapcott at Bradwell SUS-200323-150516001Alex Rickman with Danielle Clapcott at Bradwell SUS-200323-150516001
Alex Rickman with Danielle Clapcott at Bradwell SUS-200323-150516001

Vanessa Hutchison, the daughter of one of his friends who sailed with the trust while in recovery, told him his sailing skills, his experience with young people and the fact he had also recovered from cancer meant he should volunteer.

Alex said: “Volunteering with the trust has honestly been the best thing that I have ever done. It brings together so many aspects of my life in one place. It focuses on helping young people, and seeing them grow in confidence is incredible.

“I never went into volunteering to get something out of it for me, but I and others around me have seen the difference it has made.“

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Alex was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November 2012, and recovered following chemotherapy, but it took nearly a year to be able to do a full week’s work due to fatigue.

Since his recovery he has thrown himself into fundraising, participating in the Great South Run in 2019 and is planning to run the 66-mile circumference of the Isle of Wight in May.

One of the testimonials for his nomination said: “He is always an absolute a ray of sunshine, oozes happiness and energy and projects positivity onto everyone around him.”

Alex said he was ‘overwhelmed’ by his success.

He said: “It’s sinking in. I was completely shocked and couldn’t actually stand up. I really have found my tribe with the trust, I can just be me, and if that works then it’s brilliant, it’s fantastic. I can’t put it into words.

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“There’s so many amazing volunteers. Everyone brings something special to the plate and to be nominated is overwhelming, to win is just phenomenal in a room full of amazing people.”

A spokesman for the trust said: “The Luke Gilbert Volunteer of the Year award was introduced in 2017 in celebration of the trust’s volunteers.

“Luke’s incredible personality, sense of humour, enthusiasm, compassion and huge amount of fun made him an inspiration to everyone he met.

“The annual award winners will have demonstrated all the qualities Luke embodied.”

Donations can be made to his Isle of Wight fundraising effort on his JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alex-rickman4