Our Charity has been awarded £1,000 from Churchill Living.

Churchill Living has recognised the inspiring contribution of over 60s in Surrey as part of its Local Hero Awards 2026, with Ruth Durant named the county’s Local Hero.

Ruth received the award at a ceremony held at Langton Lodge in Staines-upon-Thames, in recognition of her 25 years of work helping people from diverse backgrounds improve their English, build confidence and feel connected to their community.

Ruth’s passion for education led her to recognise that parents of children learning English were often experiencing isolation and a lack of support. After organising family learning groups in schools, she established the Richmond EAL Friendship Group, a charity dedicated to helping people improve their English, access local services and build lasting friendships. Founded in 2001, the charity has now supported more than 1,200 learners who collectively speak over 69 different home languages, focussing on families who may otherwise be hard to reach or isolated.

Ruth and her team provide a range of weekly activities, including free English classes, a healthy cooking club, guided walks, a women-only swimming club, a women-only yoga class and English with craft skills. These sessions give people opportunities to meet others, share experiences and develop friendships across the usual cultural, political and linguistic boundaries.

The charity’s support goes beyond language learning. Under Ruth’s leadership, learners have gained confidence, accessed further education, found employment and volunteering opportunities, and become more connected to their local community. Families who may once have felt isolated have had the opportunity to build support networks and create brighter futures.

What makes Ruth’s work so special is her belief that friendship is just as important as education. She has dedicated herself to bringing people together from different cultures, religions and backgrounds, creating an environment where everyone has something to contribute and something to learn from one another.

As Surrey’s Local Hero, Ruth has received £1,000 for Richmond EAL Friendship Group from the Churchill Foundation – the charity arm of Churchill Living – to support the charity to continue their incredible work in the local community.

Ruth said: “I’m delighted to be recognised as a Local Hero by Churchill Living. The Richmond EAL Friendship Group is about so much more than learning English - it’s about tackling loneliness and helping people feel connected. Background, politics or language don’t matter; what matters is bringing people together and building friendships, which can make such a difference to those who are isolated and marginalised by lack of English."

“We keep our classes free so people from all backgrounds can take part, and, most importantly, so women (in particular) can do something for themselves and build their confidence. Cornelia, who kindly nominated me for this wonderful award, first came to us as a learner in 2012 and has progressed from learner - to volunteer - to trustee and is now employed by our charity to teach! I’m proud of what the charity has achieved over the past 25 years, and grateful that this donation will help us continue our work.”

The awards highlight the valuable contribution older people continue to make through volunteering, fundraising, mentoring and supporting those around them. According to the State of UK Volunteer Management Report 2026, 50% of organisations say their volunteer bases are mostly made up of people aged 61 to 79.

Spencer J McCarthy, Chairman and CEO of Churchill Living, said: “Following the success of last year’s Local Hero Awards, we were excited to re-launch the initiative this year and recognise another cohort of incredibly worthwhile nominees. The Local Hero Awards highlight the incredible contribution older people are making in communities across the country.

“Ruth is a wonderful example of the lasting difference one person can make in their community. For 25 years, she has helped people from different backgrounds build confidence, improve their English and form friendships through the Richmond EAL Friendship Group. We hope the donation from the Churchill Foundation will help the charity continue its valuable work supporting local people.”

For further information on Churchill Living’s Langton Lodge development or the Local Hero Awards, please visit the website.