Janet Dickinson from Putnoe, was amazed as she received the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award at last year’s Everyday Hero Awards ceremony.
The Bedford Independent Everyday Heroes Awards are an annual ceremony hosted by the Bedford Independent that acknowledges those in Bedford Borough who go above and beyond for our local community.
The award, sponsored by The Harpur Trust, was given to Janet for her efforts in “volunteering for many local groups and causes”.
This includes “running a Cub Scout pack, maintaining the defibrillator at a local park, coordinating the Bedford Park Run, and offering accommodation to young people leaving care”, said her nominator.
Read: A night to remember with Borough’s Everyday Heroes recognised as the “spirit of Bedford”
Janet said: “It was really surreal, because I wasn’t expecting to be nominated, much less win, and then I was thinking there’s far more deserving people than I, so it was a great big shock.
“It was really nice. It sort of validated that all of this hard work is seen and recognised.”
Volunteering runs in Janet’s family, as both her parents were serial volunteers, from whom she inherited the passion, ‘bringing so much joy to her life.’
She added, “It’s just the joy of doing it and knowing that in some small part I can make a difference to my community and to people’s lives, and that’s what’s important.
“But I don’t really think that I am an everyday hero. I just do what I do because I love it.”
Continuing to play her part
Since winning the award, Janet has continued to play her part in helping the people of Bedford, as the district volunteer for the Bedford Ouse Valley, running 16 scout groups in the district.
She is also the event coordinator for the Bedford Park Run, which would not take place without her support.
But for Janet, this win does not just belong to her, as she said: “I could not do what I do without the support of the volunteers who I support, so, it’s very much a team effort.”
The award sits in a ‘special place in Janet’s home’ and serves as a reminder of everything she has achieved through her volunteering.
Nominations for the Bedford Independent Everyday Heroes Awards 2025 are already open. Head to our simple-to-fill-in form below or here and help say “thank you” to the unsung heroes who make Bedford brilliant.
