Nominate Lucy Ikpesu-Ehwubare for Plymouth Volunteer of the Year Award, 2026
The Plymouth Community Awards Volunteer of the Year Award recognises an individual who has shown exceptional dedication, commitment, and impact through their volunteer work over the course of a year. This description perfectly captures Lucy Ikpesu-Ewhubare, who has spent more than 13 years volunteering and creating meaningful community impact across Africa and the UK through STEM education and mentorship.
She’s been put forward for this award, and this guide shows you how to help nominate her before the deadline.
To nominate Lucy Ikpesu-Ewhubare for the Plymouth Volunteer of the Year Award, here’s everything you need.
Nomination Summary
- Award ⇒ Plymouth Community Awards – Volunteer of the Year 2026
- Nomination form ⇒ Submit here
- Deadline ⇒ 31 August 2026
- Time it takes ⇒ 5 minutes
Why Lucy Ikpesu-Ehwubare Deserves the Plymouth Volunteer of the Year Award
Lucy a UK-based Engineer in the energy sector, contributing to how the UK’s future energy network connects different forms of energy (like offshore wind farms) to the national power grid. She was a Commonwealth Master’s Scholar, having secured fully funded study at the University of Birmingham after applying to over 23 international scholarships.
Lucy has volunteered consistently for over 13 years, since 2013, with a consistent commitment to advocating for STEM education, sustainability, and mentorship. In Africa, this has meant mentoring school students and young women to pursue a career in STEM, and designing and delivering hands-on STEM projects for schools and young learners. Since moving to the UK, she has continued this locally: volunteering with a STEM Outreach group delivering hands-on projects and sharing her STEM journey.
Lucy is passionate about advancing girls’ education in STEM, expanding access to scholarships and global opportunities, and supporting sustainable development through education and innovation.
Read more details and see examples of Lucy’s volunteering impact in her full profile story here.
How to Nominate Lucy — Guided Answers
A note before you start: you don’t need to use everything below — just pick the examples that resonate most with you, or that you’ve personally witnessed, and write them in your own words. Add your own observations or a short story about how you know Lucy; that’s what makes a nomination feel genuine. Please don’t copy the sample text exactly, since several people are using this same guide.
Question 1: Why are you nominating this person? (50 words minimum)
Example Answer:
I’m nominating Lucy Ikpesu-Ewhubare because volunteering has been a defining, sustained part of her life for over 13 years, with a consistent commitment to STEM education, sustainability, and mentorship. I have known Lucy for [X years — e.g. 7 years, since university, as a colleague, etc.], and have seen her passion for volunteering her time, skills, and knowledge to impact others, particularly in STEM education.
Her volunteering spans across different areas – from mentoring and tutoring students and designing hands-on STEM projects for schools across Africa, to a community development project during her mandatory NYSC year that earned her a national NYSC Honours Award and the Young Woman in Science Award, to mentorship programmes within her community. Since moving to the UK, I have seen how she has continued this within her local community – most recently volunteering at a Solar Farm in Plymouth, teaching students how solar power reaches the grid, and speaking at Engineering Her Future, inspiring schools with her own STEM academic and professional career journey.
Please replace this paragraph, or add to it, with your own example or story of how you’ve seen Lucy’s volunteering or mentorship first-hand – a specific memory, conversation, or piece of advice she gave you works well. Please don’t copy this text exactly, as several people are using this as a guide; a personal example in your own words makes a much stronger nomination.
Read more details and see examples of Lucy’s volunteering impact in her full profile story here.
Question 2: Please give further details about their contributions (50 words minimum)
Lucy’s volunteering spans hands-on STEM delivery, community building, leadership, and mentorship across Africa and in the UK. I saw her recent post on Social media about volunteering at Plymouth’s Ernesettle Solar Farm with Earth Energy Education and Plymouth Energy Community. As a volunteer intern on the Tyseley Solar Scope Project in Birmingham, she helped grow the project’s student volunteer base and extend recruitment to new universities. She currently mentors Commonwealth Scholars through the CSC and independently mentors students through ScholarWaka, helping several secure fully funded scholarships. In June 2026, she spoke at Engineering Her Future, sharing her own STEM path and scholarship journey with school girls considering a career in STEM.
Please replace this paragraph, or add to it, with your own example or story of how you’ve seen Lucy’s volunteering or mentorship first-hand – a specific memory, conversation, or piece of advice she gave you works well. Please don’t copy this text exactly, as several people are using this as a guide; a personal example in your own words makes a much stronger nomination.
Read more details and see examples of Lucy’s volunteering impact in her full profile story here.
Question 3: Any additional information/links (optional)
Further details on Lucy’s background, volunteering, and links can be found in her full profile story here.
Deadline
The deadline for submission is 31 August 2026, via the YMCA Plymouth nomination form
Nominate Lucy Ikpesu-Ehwubare for Plymouth Volunteer Now
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know Lucy personally to nominate her?
It helps to have seen or experienced her work or mentorship first-hand, even briefly, but you don’t need a long personal history – a genuine observation, however small, is enough.
Can more than one person nominate her?
Yes. Multiple nominations are welcome and can strengthen her case; just make sure your answers are written in your own words rather than copied from this guide.
What if I only know one part of her work — do I need to cover everything?
No. Pick the theme or example you know best or witnessed yourself. A specific, honest account of one thing is stronger than a general summary of everything.
Do I have to write a long answer?
Each question has a 50-word minimum, not a maximum. Clear and specific beats long.
Where do I actually submit the nomination?
Through the official YMCA Plymouth nomination form, by 31 August 2026.
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