Honda Value the Volunteer Awards 2025 !
With the nominations process closing at 5pm on Friday 14th February, there are only a few days left to submit entries in for your “valued volunteers”.
Celebrating the achievements of our volunteers – the lifeblood of our clubs and referees societies – over the last year 12 months, we are now calling on you to nominate these unsung heroes without which rugby would just not happen!
There are three categories for nominating and nominations can be submitted for either an individual or a group of volunteers who have gone above and beyond over the year.
Nominees are recognised at a local level, before finalists will be selected by a national panel and invited to a national awards event.
Categories this year are:
Unsung Hero – A volunteer or group of volunteers who have gone above and beyond to create positive experiences.
The nominee has:
- Undertaken several key tasks to support the club/organisation and can always be relied upon to lend a hand, often behind the scenes (for example organising events, maintaining facilities, supporting administration)
- Has shown an open mindset and a willingness to adapt as rugby develops (for example enhancing social media, engaging new sponsors, introducing new processes or platforms)
- Shown a willingness to go above and beyond for the sake of the club/organisation and its members.
Game for All – An individual or a group of volunteers who have developed an inspiring offer to make the game more accessible and attract new audiences, or created a flexible and engaging offer to retain current players.
The nominee has:
- Inspired people from a range of backgrounds to play rugby, with an emphasis on those underrepresented within the sport
- Thought outside the box to remove barriers to make rugby accessible
- Developed playing opportunities to meet changing lifestyles and help recruit and retain players*
- Worked with partner organisations to broaden playing opportunities
*Examples of this could include but are not limited to T1 Rugby, Game On, flexibility of when games are played, initiatives to retain 14–18-year-olds or supporting players transitioning from age grade to adult rugby.
Connecting the Community – An individual or a group of volunteers who have strengthened the club/organisation’s presence within the local community, helping to establish the club/organisation as a central part of community life.
The nominee has:
- Helped the club have a strong presence in the community whether actively participating in community events or supporting local charities and initiatives
- Provided opportunities for people within the community to engage with the club on or off the field.
- Ensured that they provide a welcoming environment to all members of the community by providing suitable facilities and a friendly environment
An overview of categories can be found here: VOTY-Categories.pdf
The Nomination Form for your Nominee(s) is here: Honda Volunteer of the Year 2025 Nomination Form
Nomination process closes at 5pm on the 14th February.
Top Tips for writing your nomination
- Check the summary for each of the awards to ensure you are nominating for the right one and make sure you consider the criteria for that award category.
- Include evidence to support and illustrate the impact and achievements of the nominee(s), and where possible, include supporting facts and figures.
- Keep to the word limit and ensure the information provided is concise and relevant. The word limit is 250 words, so feel free to write in bullet-points where necessary.
- The awards are focussed on activities that have taken place over the past 12 months (1st January – 31st December 2024).
- Once you have drafted an application, ask someone else within the club to have a look over it.
FAQs
Who can nominate?
We welcome nominations from across the rugby community, with people able to nominate volunteers from either clubs (including school, college or university environments), Constituent Bodies and referees societies for work they have done over the last 12 months. The Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards recognises work done from 1 January 2024 to the 31 December 2024 and the entry should reflect that. You can nominate either an individual or a group of volunteers for a national award.
As the awards celebrate volunteers, we ask that you nominate volunteers rather than those who are paid for their work.
How do I nominate?
Once live, you can submit your nominations online. Nominations open Monday 6 January – Friday 14 February at 17:00.
The nomination form is made up of a questions to answer to demonstrate the volunteer’s impact. There is a word limit per question and you will have the option to upload a video to support the application and bring to life why you are nominating this person/group of people.
If you’re having trouble nominating, please contact volunteerrecognition@rfu.com.
What information will the nomination form ask for?
Once you have selected the number of volunteers you want to nominate and which category you would like to nominate them in, the questions will appear. Please note the criteria listed is for guidance only and the list can be expanded to bring in other achievements you feel are relevant.
You will be asked to provide your details: these will be used if we need to find out more about the nominee or if you have not provided contact details for the individual you are nominating and we need to contact them. Providing the contact details of the nominee is optional but highly recommended as it enables us to communicate with them throughout the process. Please ensure they are happy for you to provide this before including it.
Am I able to submit more than one nomination?
You can make multiple submissions and enter several categories. To do so, you will need to complete a new submission for each entry. If you’re not sure which category to nominate for, there is the option to select ‘I’m not sure’.
What happens once I have submitted a nomination?
Nominations will be shared with the club’s Constituent Body for review and to put forward a shortlist to the national panel who will select the national finalists.
