Thurso woman 'taken aback' at winning volunteer award for RASASH charity
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A campaigner from Thurso who is helping victims of gender-based and sexual violence says she was taken aback to be recognised with a leading volunteering award.
Lorna Stanger won the volunteer of the year prize at the Highland Third Sector Interface awards, which celebrate contributions to communities across the region.
She collected the award on Friday at a ceremony at the Pavilion in Strathpeffer.
Lorna (54) is a campaigning and fundraising volunteer with Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland (RASASH) and in November she spoke at one of the charity’s events in Inverness before running back to Thurso to raise money.
Lorna said: “I’ve done quite a lot of running down from Thurso to Inverness but I’d initially said that as a joke. Somebody mentioned fundraising and I said I’ll go to the event and then I’ll run back. It was said as a half-joke but then I went and did it!
“That raised £1200 for RASHASH but mainly it was for raising awareness – I couldn’t believe how much it raised for just a night of running.”
The charity nominated Lorna for her continued efforts, in particular for raising the profile of the charity and the services it offers victims of sexual violence.
Lorna explained that the charity provides lifesaving help, and she wants other people in a similar situation to know that help is out there.
RASASH also won an award at the event on Friday, when it collected the prize for “reducing vulnerability through third sector activity”. It offers a lifeline service for anyone affected by sexual violence in Highland, providing free and confidential support, along with training for professionals and agencies.
On her own award, Lorna said: “I was really surprised and really glad because it’s something more for RASASH in terms of awareness. So many people came and spoke to me on the night about what we’re doing.
“RASASH themselves also won an award, so that was really good, too, and it was a lovely night at the Pavilion.”
Her nomination from the charity stated: “Lorna has been a shining light for the RASASH team, her fellow survivors of sexual violence and our volunteers. She has been amazing at raising our charity’s profile publicly and across her networks, particularly in Caithness.
Related news:
- Thurso-based endurance athlete Lorna Stanger has smashed her target of raising £500 for Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland
- Recognition for Thurso runner who highlighted gender-based violence
“She was a key speaker at our Reclaim the Night march in Inverness in November. Lorna helped to challenge perceptions around sexual violence as well as raising RASASH’s profile and promoting our services.
“This was followed up by Lorna running over 110 miles from Inverness to Thurso overnight in the dark, wind and rain to raise much-needed funds for us. She smashed her target of £500 and raised over £1200 which has been used to deliver support to others.”
That achievement was recognised at Westminster when Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry submitted an Early Day Motion in honour of Lorna’s work and fundraising for RASASH.
But Lorna said she benefits from the running challenges she takes on as well. “Going out and doing long endurance runs was a help because it’s stopped me doing anything worse,” she said.
“Then I was able to take that and use it for something positive, so it’s helped a lot – but I actually quite like doing that stuff anyway!”
She added that the long runs through the night give her time for contemplation, and explained: “For me, the one for RASASH was a reflection on where you are – you feel very on your own and you don’t know what’s ahead of you.”
- Support from RASASH is available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30am-1pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm-4.30pm on 03330 066909 or visit www.rasash.org.uk. Rape Crisis Scotland can be contacted from 6pm to midnight daily on 08088 010302.
