The BWY Heart of Yoga Awards honour the invaluable work volunteers contribute to our organisation’s goal: to promote a greater understanding of yoga and its safe practise to all.
‘Volunteers are our lifeblood and their dedication is invaluable. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate our heroes.’
Di O’Reilly, BWY Chair
Every year, BWY members give their time freely to offer an outstanding choice of events, trainings, newsletters and community action, supporting BWY goals and projects. Launched in 2023, these annual awards acknowledge that contribution. We celebrate our Heart of Yoga Award winners after our AGM in May.
Members can nominate their local champions for recognition at the next awards, see below for full details.
Heart of Yoga Award Categories
The Anthony Grover Award for Long Service
Special recognition for long service
Celebrating our senior members, founders and longest-serving supporters of BWY’s mission.
Who is eligible?
BWY volunteers who have been BWY volunteers for 10+ years.
Criteria
This award celebrates exceptional dedication and commitment for long service exceeding 10 years.
Rising Star Award
This award celebrates a volunteer who has made a noticeable impact over the past 24 months. It recognises those whose enthusiasm, ideas and commitment have helped raise awareness of BWY’s mission and make a positive difference within our community.
Nominate someone who has:
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Joined as a volunteer within the last three years.
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Brought fresh energy, initiative, or creativity to their role.
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Helped promote or strengthen BWY’s aims through their actions or projects.
Community Champion Award
An award for bringing yoga into the lives of communities under-represented in mainstream yoga, whether for cultural, economic or geographic reasons. This award recognises the BWY’s commitment to expand its reach into new communities currently underserved.
Who is eligible?
Individual BWY volunteers or groups of volunteers coming together for a project or campaign that services new communities.
Criteria
This award celebrates the member or group of members who have demonstrably brought yoga into the lives of communities in a way that is sustainable and has become established beyond a short-term project. These activities must have occurred in the past 24 months.
Ambassador of the Year Award
For an outstanding ambassador for the BWY who has shown exceptional dedication to our mission to promote a greater understanding of yoga.
Who is eligible?
Individual BWY volunteers currently active in volunteering for BWY.
Criteria
Tell us how this BWY volunteer can demonstrate through the past 24 months they have been a powerful and committed ambassador for the BWY and how they have raised positive awareness of BWY’s mission and the work of our charity.
The Irene Yates Education Champion Award
Celebrating a BWY volunteer or volunteer team who, in the last 24 months, have helped spread the word about yoga and yoga education, and enabled others to learn through an event, programme or initiative.
Who is eligible?
Any active BWY volunteer or group
Criteria
Recognising volunteers who have clearly: raised awareness of yoga and BWY, helped educate or upskill others, and supported BWY’s mission in their community.
Event Volunteer of the Year Award
Celebrating the BWY volunteer who’s shown outstanding commitment to a regional or national event, in the past 24 months, going above and beyond to support BWY.
Who is eligible?
Individual volunteers.
Criteria
This is an award for going above and beyond, in developing, supporting or carrying out an event in the past 24 months, to further the mission of BWY at one national event or national and regional events.
Find out who won and why in 2025.
Meet the members honoured at the Heart of Yoga Awards 2025
The Anthony Grover Award for Long Service
Winner: Irene Yates
The Anthony Grover Award for Long Service
Winner: Jean Nicolas
Rising Star Award
Winner: Dave Fowler
Community Champion Award
Winner: Emma Nicholson
Ambassador of the Year Award
Winner: Keith Hart
Event Volunteer of the Year Award
Winner: Sabine Smith
Notes on Nominating
After reading through the award categories, choose which award or honour best represents the accomplishments of your nominee. If you’re unclear which category to choose, talk to your volunteering friends or Regional Officer about it or seek advice by sending an email to communications@bwy.org.uk.
Fill out an online nomination form, making sure to include: your nominee’s name and contact information, an explanation of why you chose that particular volunteer. When writing your nomination, be concise and compelling while demonstrating how your volunteer satisfies the important requirements. Wherever practical, provide examples, dates, facts, and statistics to highlight your nominee’s accomplishments and contributions to BWY. Additional pertinent information that is not covered by the criteria is very welcome; think about strengthening your nomination as much as you can. There is no such thing as too much enthusiasm! Consider what distinguishes your nominee. Why should they receive the prize? How have they volunteered in a more selfless way?
Nominations will be judged on how well they address the criteria in the award category. Please check you have chosen the most appropriate category and addressed the relevant criteria. This will give your nominee the greatest chance of success.
Do not assume the judges have any prior knowledge of your nominee. Write as if the reader knows nothing about your nominee. Be as comprehensive with your nomination as possible – a couple of lines is unlikely to be enough for judges to fairly assess your submission.
Who’s Eligible?
You can nominate the same volunteer for more than one award, but you should tailor each nominations to meet the individual award’s criteria. You can nominate as many volunteers as you wish across as many categories as you wish. All BWY volunteers are eligible. BWY staff, including former and current volunteers, can nominate but can’t be nominated.
Inclusivity
We respect diversity here at the BWY, and we’re dedicated to fostering an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and realise their full potential. We actively invite suggestions from individuals of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
Recognition for All
Even if your volunteer does not win on this occasion, all nominees receive a letter and certificate from our Chair. They can also be considered for future awards and recognition opportunities, if nominated again in future year’s awards.
Due to the careful consideration needed to select winners, we regret that late nominations cannot be accepted.
Read more about the Heart of Yoga Awards:
For more information about the Heart of Yoga Awards, please contact:
Natalie Lyndon, BWY PR & Communications Officer
Enriching lives through the practice, sharing and training in yoga.
