Spurgeons volunteer wins award

A student who volunteers in our prison service has received an award for her efforts. Poppy Crown, a student at the University of Portsmouth, has been given a Volunteering Impact Award for her work with prison families and prisoners.

Poppy has found that her volunteer work at HMP Winchester has helped shape her career. 'Since I've been working at HMP Winchester it's changed my mindset and I want to go down the forensic psychology route and work in a prison environment,' she says. 'I'm doing a masters in forensic psychology next year!'

A career in prisons

'Since I was 8 years old I've always been really interested in forensics- I watch programmes like CSI with my mum. I would set up scenes in my house and act out being a forensic person,' Poppy says. 'I studied psychology at A level with criminology, and I really feel like I thrived in those subjects. I've never wanted to do any other job.'

In her second year of study she found her volunteering role with Spurgeons. Last year she was a volunteer in the visits centre to welcome families and explain the process of visiting the prison as it can be daunting. 

This year Poppy has been working on Time to Connect sessions, which is for prisoners who are vulnerable or have no visitors. 'I've been creating quizzes for them and it brings them together,' she says. 'There are 5 rounds to the quiz, including general knowledge and geography. They really enjoy it and the feedback we've got from it is really good. It helps them create positive friendships with people and it is really nice to see them bonding.'

On average there are around 50 attendees at the Time to Connect sessions, many of them coming each time. Poppy creates and delivers the quizzes herself.

Deborah Wood at Spurgeons nominated Poppy for the Volunteering Impact Award, which she won during a ceremony at the Royal Maritime Hotel in Portsmouth. The judges for the awards included the owner of Portsmouth FC and the Vice Chancellor of the University.

The incredible impact of volunteers

Many services in Spurgeons rely on the skills and dedication of our amazing volunteers. Volunteering not only benefits the families using our services, but also gives volunteers experience that can change their lives. This week is Volunteers Week 2025, an event that celebrates the difference that volunteers make to non-profits across the country. If you're interested in finding out about volunteering opportunities with us, click here.