BOF Annual Awards 2024: Volunteer of the Year – Lucy Weigand (SYO)

Lucy has played a particularly important role during SYO’s growth in recent years, as the club
has expanded its need for additional new areas and increased use of existing areas to host its
successful Schools Saturday series (10 events a year with up to 600 runs), Wednesday night
coaching/training (during school terms and attended by 80-100 club members) and an
increased event schedule.

Lucy’s skills and knowledge are currently in full demand in dealing with very significant
permission issues for the JK 2025 (Sheffield Sprint map, Tankersley Middle, Wharncliffe Long- and Wombwell relays until permission was withheld in view of the event size).

Why Lucy is so valued

• Both within SYO and outside SYO (so with Local Authorities, Forestry England, etc)throughout the years, Lucy has developed excellent relationships and mutual respect.
• Her communication is excellent, whether by email, social media, or verbally, so people understand what the issues are and her view on them.
• She is pragmatic about what really matters and what just needs dealing with.
• Although employed outside of orienteering, Lucy can juggle many tasks concurrently, from events happening within the month to those two years away. And these can be related to Local Authority concerns around land access or parking, to the RSPB and ground-nesting birds, to crayfish in Sheffield ditches, etc.
• She is firm, determined, and confident in her ability and what she needs to perform her task effectively. Moreover, she can be trusted to deliver on time.
• As an experienced international orienteer of long-standing, she understands from a competitor’s viewpoint the issues around permissions and the potential sensible mitigation factors.
• Lucy provides constructive, informed input about what information is required on maps regarding out-of-bounds areas.

She is one of the key individuals who has facilitated SYO’s growth in the last few years by enabling SYO members to compete and train regularly throughout the year.

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Well done to Lucy, your contributions throughout the past years have had an incredible impact on your club. 

Next up, we will be sharing details of the winners of the Young Volunteer of the Year Award 2024. Check our website or social media daily for the latest updates.