Wirral volunteer who helps people that have lost someone has been nominated for a Your Champions award

Oct 12 2011 by Linda Foo Guest, Birkenhead News

THIS is the last opportunity for you to nominate a contender for our Your Champions awards – the closing date is this Friday, October 14.

Wirral News has teamed up with ScottishPower to highlight the good work of an individual or group which has benefited the community. One of our nominees is a volunteer who works a large number of hours to help people who have lost someone.

This week Gill Harker nominated Christine Smyth, from Prenton, for a champion volunteer award.

Christine manages the Wirral area of the volunteer-run Cruse Bereavement Care.

The voluntary service, based in Prenton, helps people who have lost a loved one.

Christine has worked unpaid at the centre for 17 years, co-ordinating 30 volunteers and, until recently, running the office.

Gill told the News: “Christine ran the office and oversees the volunteers. She doesn’t get anything at all for it.

“We help people all over Wirral who need bereavement counselling for as long as they want it.

“If we did not have Christine co-ordinating everything, then I do not know how we would cope – it would be very difficult to keep going.

“Not only that, she diverts any unanswered calls to her home and deals with them there.

“She organises training days which we have once a month along with any courses needed for volunteers.

“Christine allocates clients to us and does all the administration.

“It is a full-time job, whereas the volunteers give a few hours a week.

“She is a very quiet, private lady and never makes a fuss.

“She answers calls from distressed, bereaved people and is the first point of contact for people in a very distressed state.”

There are five categories – champion of the year, volunteer, young person, team and sporting.

The closing date for nominations is Friday.

Our champions will be honoured at a presentation ceremony at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Chester on Friday, November 18, where they will also be in the running for a regional Champion of Champions award.

To get your nomination in, log on to www.wirralnews.co.uk or send this form to Your Champions, Wirral News, PO Box 48, Old Hall Street, Liverpool L69 3EB