A DEVOTED volunteer has been nominated for the York Community Pride Awards for her ‘commitment and enormous heart’.

Maxine Taylor, 53, from Rawcliffe, York has been nominated by her colleague, and boss, Adam Raffell who said that she has taken on multiple responsibilities to help keep the Foodbank going and helping people across the city, through a transition period.

He said: “Maxine has served as a volunteer for York Foodbank since it opened in 2012.

“If volunteering upward of twelve hours of her time every week, overseeing the administration and our warehouse wasn’t enough, this past year she went over and above during a transitional period for York Foodbank in the absence of an active Foodbank manager.

“Maxine undertook the bulk of the responsibility for overseeing the relocation of the Foodbank’s warehouse and offices to our present address at Clifton Moor in January.

“Shortly before that, during the very busy collections which took place over the Christmas season, she, unfortunately, suffered a broken foot.

“Not to be deterred, Maxine continued to successfully lead the teams responsible for making all of our collections, providing direction to all of our amazing volunteers in spite of having her leg in plaster.

“It is no understatement to say that the uninterrupted running of the Foodbank and the distribution of 1,726 much-needed food parcels in the last financial year was largely thanks to Maxine’s efforts, commitment, and enormous heart.

“I would, therefore, like to nominate her candidacy for the Volunteer of the Year Community Pride Award for all her hard work in helping others through times of need.”

On receiving her nomination, Maxine said that she was very pleased to be praised for helping others.

She said: “I love working with the Foodbank and since I have been operating with other clients across York we have been helping to make sure people who attend can have access to other types of help from charities.

“This makes sure that people hopefully don’t come back to us, although they are welcome to if they need to.

“Running the food bank is a team effort though and I must mention my colleagues to for all the hard work they put in.”

Nominations can be posted to York Community Pride Awards, The Press, 84-86 Walmgate, York Y01 9YN. Or submit nominations online at yorkpress.co.uk/communitypride by Friday, July 26. Nominations must include a supporting statement and should include a photo and all nominees must live in, or contribute to life in and around York. Three finalists from each category will be invited to an awards ceremony at York Racecourse.