The Centre, Livingston presented personalised, framed certificates and a £100 Gift Card to two outstanding volunteers at Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, (CHAS).
Neil Campbell and Persephone Thomson, were given the awards in recognition of their outstanding work to help raise awareness and funds for the children’s charity.
The aim of the Award, which is part of the shopping centre’s ‘Support in the Community’ initiative, is to pay tribute to the great work by people in the community who have given up their own time to help others.
Neil started helping CHAS two years ago and has attended many events as a volunteer, including a reindeer at the Elf Walk hosted by The Centre, Livingston in 2023 – even roping his family and friends in to join in the fun.
Persephone has also attended lots of fundraising events in West Lothian including the recent CHAS pop up in the shopping centre.
Neil, who also helps organise volunteers for various events, said: “I would just like to thank CHAS for the nomination and The Centre, Livingston for the Volunteer Award.
“This award is for everyone in the Causeplayer team who give up their own time to attend events dressed up in characters from Marvel to Star Wars – without their incredible support I wouldn’t be able to do my job.
“We all work so well as a team, actually more like a family, to help raise money to support children and their families through one of the hardest things that can ever be thrown at them.
“It is very kind of the shopping centre to present this Award to us in recognition of the work we do to bring lots of smiles to so many the faces when they see their favourite characters at the events.”
Persephone added: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to The Centre, Livingston for presenting me with this amazing award for doing something I absolutely love.
“It’s the best job in world being able to help make a lot of kids dreams come true, one character at a time.
“The best part is seeing their faces light up when they see me, and at the same time being able to raise funds for such wonderful charities, which makes me so happy!”
This is the third year the shopping centre has partnered with CHAS, which provides the only hospice services in Scotland for children and young people with life-shortening conditions, hosting various fundraising events, workshops and offering free pop-up space.
Tess Sundberg, Marketing Manager at The Centre, Livingston said: “We are delighted to be able to present our Volunteer Award to both Neil and Persephone and a £100 Gift Card each in recognition of the great work they are doing for charities like CHAS.
“There’s so many fantastic people in the community going out of their way to help others which is why we established the Awards many years ago and continue to shine a bright light on the commendable work they are doing.”
Zhenya Dove, Community Fundraiser at CHAS, said: “We at CHAS are incredibly proud of Neil and Persephone, and our entire amazing group of Causeplayers, who combine their love of cosplay with their passion for making a difference. They bring so much joy and magic to our events!
“The time and dedication they give truly makes a world of difference, helping us create precious memories for children and families in our care.
“We’re so grateful to The Centre, Livingston for their ongoing support and for shining a well-deserved spotlight on our volunteers’ amazing efforts.”
If you know anyone, who deserves recognition and a special reward for the great volunteering work they are doing in the community, please send your nominations to [email protected].
Don’t miss the latest news from the West Lothian Courier. Sign up to our free newsletter here.