15 Jul 2025
Kirstie has been volunteering at Hamelin for one and a half years. She began volunteering to share her skills and love of art with people she believed would truly benefit, while also gaining experience in teaching autistic adults and people with learning disabilities.
Kirstie facilitates and co-leads Hamelin’s art sessions. The people we support who attend her sessions have grown in confidence with their artistic abilities and are now budding artists.
Her nomination reads: “Kirstie has been wonderful at supporting our people and nurturing their creative skills. They all thoroughly enjoy her sessions.
Last year, Kirstie suggested holding an art exhibition and worked with the people we support to produce some amazing animal-themed artwork on large canvases. Over the course of around six months, she helped to bring the pieces together and played a key role in organising and running the exhibition, drawing on her professional experience and contacts. The exhibition was held at the Billericay Theatre and was a hugely successful evening, raising a significant amount of money for Hamelin.
Following the success of this exhibition, Kirstie has been working with our people to create works for a new exhibition to be held in September this year.
She has taken the time to work with each individual, helping them play to their strengths so everyone can collaborate on the artwork. She brings a huge amount of dedication, commitment, passion and expertise, and demonstrates real innovation by bringing something new to Hamelin and the community. She truly brings to life our value of ‘we think differently’.”
Kirstie said it was a shock and an honour to win the award.
She said, “I honestly didn’t expect to win, so it was a lovely surprise. I really enjoy volunteering and I get just as much out of it as I give. I’ve learnt so much myself, especially from seeing how people connect with colours and techniques. It’s really made me look beyond what I thought I knew. I’m so proud of everyone, it’s amazing to see how far they’ve come.”