Dedicated Teesside volunteers recognised with Halifax Giving Extra Award

Two dedicated Teesside volunteers have been recognised with a national award.

Shaun Quirk and Ruth Benson have both won a Halifax Giving Extra Award - with Shaun scooping the award for his work with local football club Cargo Fleet Juniors and Ruth for what she has done to support local disabled children.

“I am shocked to have won, but also delighted,” said Shaun, who is chairman of the club and was nominated for the award by his wife Marie Quirk.

Shaun came to Cargo Fleet Juniors over ten years ago when his two boys began playing, and now acts as chairman, secretary and welfare officer for the club – which has grown from just two to ten teams. Shaun also continues to coach one of the sides, as do both his sons.

“It is fantastic to be recognised, but of course the club would be nothing without the support of my fellow coaches, the parents, and all our players,” he added.

Ruth, the founder of the charity SNAPS (Special Needs Activities with Parent Support), was also delighted. She was nominated by Amanda Notman, who attends the group with her child.

Ruth Benson from SNAPS

Ruth said: “I was overwhelmed and very, very pleased to even have been nominated, and I am over the moon to find out I won.”

SNAPS supports children and families across the whole Teesside, providing activities and support for the whole family. Ruth has been running the charity for the past 15 years and last summer it supported over 2,300 people from across the area.

“I want to thank the many, many people who give their time to help me – as the group SNAPS could simply not happen without them,” she added.

The Giving Extra Awards is a programme to reward those who go the extra mile and make a positive difference in their community.

In this round of awards, 67 people were chosen from thousands of nominations nationwide. They each receive £300 in bonus bond vouchers. The national winner, announced later this month, will receive a further £2,500 in bonus bond vouchers and a £2,500 donation to a good cause of their choice.

David Nicholson, Group Director, Halifax Community Bank, said: “As the bank that is committed to helping Britain prosper by bringing communities closer together, we believe that we should recognise and celebrate people like Shaun and Ruth who are catalysts for positive and lasting change. We’re proud to give extra back to a worthy winner with this award.”