The Prime Minister’s wife Michelle Muscat has been awarded the “National Volunteer of the Year” award by the Malta Council for Voluntary Work, a statement issued by the Labour Women’s Branch said today.

The award recognises work carried out in the voluntary sector. Muscat is the chairperson of the Marigold Foundation and has for the past years held a swimming event to raise funds for the needy.

The president of the Labour Party’s Women’s branch Claudette Abela Baldacchino said that Muscat’s contribution towards the needy is something that needs to be appreciated.

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In a statement issued hours after the Labour Party's announcement, the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS), said that yesterday it presented the National Volunteer Award 2017 to Muscat during an award giving ceremony held at the Casino Maltese, Valletta under the patronage of Clifton Grima, Parliamentary Secretary for the Youth, Sports and Voluntary Organisations.

The aim of the National Award, the council said, is to give broad recognition to the service done by the volunteers and Voluntary Organisations within the community, create awareness of the exemplary values displayed by the volunteers and organisations with the goal of locating role models for youth and wider society; and to recognise the important contributions made in various fields.

The National Award, it added, is awarded to an individual volunteer who has contributed in any field, such as social, humanitarian, health, ecological, cultural, education, sports, etc. The voluntary work must have had a positive contribution towards a particular field and should ideally have served as an inspiration to others.

This awards is complimented by another three sub awards which are the Youth Volunteer Award, the Volunteer Organisation Award and the Corporate Volunteering Award. The Youth Volunteer Award is awarded to a Volunteer between the age of 16 and 30 years having the same aims as the National Volunteer Award and the main scope to promote volunteering amongst young people.

The Volunteer Organisation Award is awarded to a Voluntary Organisation who has been outstanding in the sector in which it operates, being both innovative in its approach and services within the community as well as in its way of recruiting and supporting volunteers. The last award, the Corporate Volunteering Award, is awarded to that Company or Organisation coming from the Private Sector which has given tangible support to the Voluntary Sector, both by direct support as well as by supporting and facilitating its employees to volunteer.

The board of adjudication was composed by Noel Camilleri, Doris Bingley and Trevor Fenech.

The National Volunteer Awards were given as follows:

National Volunteer Award – Michelle Muscat – The Marigold Foundation

Youth Volunteer Award – Hayley Buttigieg– Tghanniqa

Volunteer Organisation Award – Centru Tbexbix

Corporate Volunteering Award – HSBC Bank plc

Special Mentions were also given as follows:

National Volunteer Award – Carol Fenech– Marsaxlokk Aquatic Sports Club & Louise Bajada – Inspire Foundation

Youth Volunteer Award – Rachel Portelli – Ghaqda Maltija Kontra d-Dijabete