Circles South West announces 2026 Volunteer Long Service Award recipients.
Volunteers’ Week provides an opportunity each year to recognise the role that volunteers play across charities and community organisations.
Between them, they have either been volunteering with Circles South West for ten years or have completed ten full Circles— and together they have completed 56 Circles over that time.
Four volunteers from Devon, one from Cornwall, three from Wiltshire, one from Gloucestershire and one from Dorset are the recipients of the awards this year.
Circles South West works in a field that asks a great deal of those involved. Supporting people convicted of sexual offences to integrate safely into the community following imprisonment is not always straightforward work, and it is rarely glamorous. It calls for patience, reliability, and a willingness to keep turning up, even when progress is gradual or hard won. These ten volunteers have done exactly that.
Long service, in this context, is not simply a measure of time passed. Ten years—or ten completed Circles—represents consistency, judgement, and a capacity to listen without rushing to conclusions. It means being present through the ordinary weeks as much as the more difficult ones, offering structure, encouragement, and, at times, challenge.
Volunteers are at the heart of Circles South West. They form the small groups, or “Circles,” that meet regularly with individuals who are working to build safer, more stable lives. The role is one of both support and accountability, and it depends on trust—not only between volunteers and the individual at the centre of the Circle, but also among the volunteers themselves.
Those being recognised this week have contributed in ways that are not always visible from the outside. They have attended countless meetings, taken part in discussions that require sensitivity and discretion, and helped create spaces where change can take root over time. It is steady work, and often quiet work, but it matters.
Volunteers’ Week offers a chance to say thank you, though it is fair to say that for many involved, recognition is not the reason they do it. Even so, it is important to pause occasionally and acknowledge the role that sustained commitment plays in the success of organisations like Circles South West.
These ten individuals represent a wider community of volunteers whose contribution underpins the organisation’s work across the region. Their example serves as a reminder that meaningful change is often built slowly, through relationships, consistency, and a willingness to stay the course.
Circles South West extends its thanks to all its volunteers, and especially to those marking these long service milestones. Their contribution, given over years rather than moments, has made a lasting difference.
