Vote for your Volunteer of the Year 2026
New for 2026, we have created this award to recognise and celebrate the incredible work of our volunteers.
Shining a light on the dedication, compassion, and commitment of our 400 volunteers, who make such a difference every single day. From offering companionship on wards and in care homes, to providing vital admin support, mentoring service users, supporting nutrition and hydration, and sharing their creativity through music, crafts and fundraising – our volunteers truly help our patients and communities thrive.
Nominations closed in November and we were overwhelmed with responses. Our judging panel had a very difficult job or narrowing it down to four finalists.
Our 2026 Volunteer of the Year Award finalists are… drum roll please…
- Sam Mead, Way Finder and Administrative Transporter
- Myles Leaman, Way Finder
- Keith Reeves, Torbay Hospital Radio Presenter and Chairman
- Anna Heywood, MSK Physio Torbay Admin Support
Congratulations to all four finalists. We’ll be sharing their stories, explaining why they were nominated on our Facebook page. The winner will be decided by public vote, running in February via our Facebook. Please make sure you’re following and keep an eye out and be sure to cast your vote.
The winner will be announced in May at our annual Our People celebration event.
Torbay Hospital League of Friends funds new equipment to support hand therapy patients
People with complex hand conditions will benefit from enhanced rehabilitation thanks to a generous donation from the Torbay Hospital League of Friends.
The League has funded state-of-the-art hand therapy equipment, including five GripAble devices and five tablets, alongside four Biometrics electronic goniometers, with a total investment of £20,536.
Suzie Smith, clinical lead for our hand therapy team said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this support from the League of Friends. The new GripAble devices will help our patients regain strength and movement in their hands and wrists, using interactive games and real-time feedback. These tools are especially valuable for people recovering from an injury or living with long-term conditions such as arthritis, enabling them to track their progress and stay motivated throughout their rehabilitation.”
The Biometrics goniometers will make it easier for clinicians to measure joint movement and monitor improvements over time, particularly for patients with complex hand conditions. “Having access to this technology means we can provide more personalised care and help people achieve better outcomes,” Suzie added.
Martin Tucker, Chair of Torbay Hospital League of Friends, added: “We are proud to support the Hand Therapy Team in their work to help people recover and regain independence. Our motto is Helping to Care, and we are thrilled that this donation will make a real difference to patients and staff at Torbay Hospital.”
We’re really grateful to the Torbay Hospital League of Friends, which has been supporting Torbay Hospital for more than 70 years to fund equipment and improvements that go above and beyond NHS provision, always with the aim of enhancing patient care and experience.