Richard Hambro Award

Richard Hambro became Macmillan’s treasurer in 1983, and was elected Chairman of the Trustees in 1991 – a position he held until 2001. As well as steering the growth of our charity during his chairmanship, Richard was an outstanding ambassador for Macmillan. He was elected deputy president on stepping down from the chairmanship and remained a valued supporter right until the last. 

The Richard Hambro Award is for volunteers who lead and manage groups to an exceptional standard, or inspire others to achieve outstanding success.

Example of a successful nomination

Q: Please describe the volunteering activities the nominee, or group, has been involved with.  Please indicate the length of time and level of commitment for each.

A: Sue has volunteered at the Viewfield Macmillan Cancer Centre since it first opened in 2005.  She first volunteered as a driver, taking people from their homes to the centre.  Then 18 months ago, the driving service came under threat, so Sue took matters into her own hands and became a volunteer driver coordinator. 

Q: How has the nominee, or group, gone ‘above and beyond’ what we might hope for from any volunteer?  We need to understand why they stand out from others involved in similar volunteering roles.

A: In this remote area, the driving service is the only way for many people to access the centre, and without it they would have been faced with impossible taxi fares. Sue contacted the local newspaper to recruit more volunteer drivers, and then publicised the increased availability. She now manages the rota of volunteer drivers, match-making the requirements of people with cancer to the most suitable volunteers. She has also set up quarterly meetings where volunteer drivers can get together to discuss best practice stemming from their practical and emotional experiences. Under Sue’s leadership, the driver service is available to anyone who needs it. No patients miss out, and the volunteer drivers are delighted to be working with Sue.