Lord Mayor of Southampton Councillor James Baillie along with 10 of the 16 Goan volunteer members of the Golden Goa Association, Southampton, during the 2025 Southampton Volunteer 100 Hours Awards’ ceremony on July 10.
LONDON
As many as 16 Goan volunteer members of the Golden Goa Association, Southampton (GGAS), have been awarded for their stellar community service over the years.
The 2025 Southampton Volunteer 100 Hours Awards’ ceremony took place at the Mayor’s Parlour, Civic Centre on July 10.
GGAS, the flagship Goan social and cultural institution representing the Goan diaspora in the city of Southampton, is celebrating its 15th year of existence this year.
The prestigious awards were presented by Lord Mayor of Southampton Councillor James Baillie to RJ Roque Vaz, RJ Bihula Vaz, Alex D’Costa, Maria Assumpta Borges, Enedina De Souza, MC Anjali D’Costa, Aloysius D’Costa, Dr Tracy Coelho, Michelle Coutinho De Souza, Sebastian Savio Da Costa, Alancy D’Costa, Wangstone Bosco Dias, Sanjay Da Costa, Vailankina Cardozo, Rita Borges and Nathalia Sequeira.
Founded in 1991 by Southampton Voluntary Services (SVS), in partnership with Southampton City Council’s Training and Employment Initiatives, the Volunteer Certificate Scheme is an annual award presented by the Mayor of Southampton to volunteers completing at least 100 hours of high standard voluntary work.
SVS is the umbrella body for local voluntary and community groups working in Southampton. SVS provides several services including specialist support, advice and training to their membership. It also provides and promotes information to organisations on volunteering in the city of Southampton.
The scheme aims to recognise the value of volunteering for improving life in Southampton and highlighting the role that it can play in personal and career development.
This formal recognition of the work assists particularly those seeking paid work or further education opportunities. It is also a way of thanking volunteers who have done exceptionally well and have shown great commitment.
Due to its success, the scheme has been adopted by Volunteering Development Agencies, Councils of Community Service and voluntary organisations on a national scale.
RJ Roque Vaz, GGAS founder member, present General Secretary and Volunteer Co-ordinator, took the initiative of nominating the hardworking members in the field of volunteering, especially during community events organised by GGAS in Southampton over the years.
The laborious nomination and submission process began in January this year and Roque had to submit the individual volunteer profiles including task description of each of the 16 volunteers meticulously chosen for the volunteer award scheme.
Lord Mayor of Southampton Councillor James Baillie along with Bihula Vaz, treasurer of Golden Goa Association, Southampton.
The GGAS’ volunteer tasks include attendance at regular meetings, paperwork, accounting, internal auditing, marketing, sponsorship canvassing, logistic support, setting up event venues, event conceptualisation, booking venues, hosting, decorating, cooking, social media coverage, Public Relations, poster-making, submission of event news for publication in the print media, helping out at various activities during a community event, co-ordinating with one another, fundraising for charitable causes and post-event clearing up the halls.
After the nomination and profile submission stages, the penultimate phase is the announcement of the winners by email and then the final stage of the award presentation ceremony.
“It was a wonderful experience to watch your fellow volunteers being rewarded for their dedication and commitment in the field of voluntary community work, especially in the service of the Goan community in Southampton,” said RJ Roque Vaz.
