# BBC Make a Difference Awards recognition

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/bbc-make-a-difference-awards-recognition
> Updated: 2026-09-24T19:33:15.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

The 2026 BBC ‘Make a Difference’ awards have recognized various individuals and groups across Devon and Wales for their contributions to community welfare and conservation.

Initial recognitions focused on animal welfare and therapy, including a cocker spaniel named Jet for supporting students at Exeter College, a posthumous honor for a former guide dog named Ridley, and recognition for an alpaca named Thunderball and volunteers at the Shaldon Wildlife Trust. 

Subsequent honors expanded to include diverse community efforts, such as a Young Hero award for a teenager providing food parcels to the homeless in Torbay, and a community award for ‘The Dough Bros,’ a men’s mental health group in Totnes. In Wales, awards were presented for a hedgehog safety campaign and for the conversion of neglected land into a wildlife and community garden in Carmarthenshire.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-24: BBC Make a Difference Awards honor community heroes

The 2026 BBC ‘Make a Difference’ awards celebrated community heroes in Devon and Wales, honoring individuals for work in animal welfare, mental health support, and environmental conservation.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bbc-make-a-difference-awards-honor-community-heroes

### 2026-09-21: BBC Radio Devon honors animal welfare and therapy award finalists

The BBC Radio Devon Make A Difference Animal Award honors finalists, including therapy dog Jet and Shaldon Wildlife Trust volunteers, for their impact on human well-being and animal welfare.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bbc-radio-devon-honors-animal-welfare-and-therapy-award-finalists

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Cite as: BBC Make a Difference Awards recognition. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/bbc-make-a-difference-awards-recognition