On October 17, the Dyslexia Awards 2026 ceremony in Telford crowned Andy Willis, a Banburyshire resident, as the Community Shining Star (20+) for his 25‑year volunteer streak. Willis, 55, has led the Banburyshire Advice Centre as founder, patron and Head of Information, Advice and Wellbeing.
The centre, an independent charity, helps residents navigate the complex benefits system, filing applications and issuing foodbank vouchers. Its volunteers serve communities across Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire.
Willis’s journey began in the County Court Service, then moved to education where he witnessed food insecurity and bereavement. He joined the Banbury Benefits Advice Project in 2006 and later worked with Age UK Oxfordshire for nearly a decade.
He has also earned national recognition: the British Citizen Award in 2019, an honorary Master’s from the Open University, the UK Points of Light award, and the Rethink Mental Illness Supporter of the Year title in 2022.
The Dyslexia Awards, founded in 2015 by Elizabeth Wilkinson MBE, celebrate dyslexic achievements and challenge myths.
With the award’s spotlight, Willis plans to leverage the increased visibility to secure additional funding and expand the centre’s outreach, especially in the pandemic‑era digital services.