Paying tribute to community servants

I had the tremendous pleasure recently of hosting the Diamond Jubilee Community Recognition Awards 2017. They were set up to mark the 40^th anniversary of The Queen’s accession to the throne and the service she has given to the nation since, by honouring those groups and individuals who selflessly serve their community.

Each year town and parish councils are invited to nominate one, or more people, they believed have made a real difference to the place where they live.

This year there were nine nominations and those considered worthy of recognition were invited to attend a ceremony at the Civic Centre in Pershore.

Those nominated and the reason for their nomination:

Badsey Morning Coffee Ladies for raising funds for the Royal British Legion and other charities at weekly coffee mornings.

St Leonard’s Bretforton Churchyard Working Party for improvements to the churchyard

Lady Anne Judge a local campaigner for the Parish Plan, Wychbold Youth Club and helping residents with noise pollution on the M5 motorway.

Helga Peeters  for setting up and running a social media group.

Alan Scrafton for running Question Time events, coaching young cricketers and for being a member of the Mental Health Team in Malvern.

Bob Hare who assists with anything horticultural for children to allotment holders.

Michael Egan for his travelling museums, ensuring public appreciate wartime history

Christine Bowden for running Droitwich Stroke Cub, a small social club set up to give stroke survivors a place to meet and socialise.

Norton WW1 Group for drawing up and displaying the parish’s history around the Norton Barracks/Worcestershire Regiment.

It was very difficult to choose a 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd but wonderful to know that in Wychavon we have so many upstanding members of our community.  The winners were:

3^rd place:  Michael Egan for his work putting on exhibitions for schools and communities around Worcestershire.

Michael Egan came third for his work putting on exhibitions for schools and communities around Worcestershire

2^nd place:  Christine Bowden for her dedication to providing stroke survivors with a small social club

Christine Bowden came second for her dedication to providing stroke survivors with a small social club

 

1^st place:  Norton WW1 Group for creating a memorial garden, providing new village signs and five information boards set at strategic locations around Norton telling the story of the Worcestershire Regiment and Norton Barracks

Norton WW1 Group was selected as the winner for creating a memorial garden, providing new village signs and five information boards set at strategic locations around Norton telling the story of the Worcestershire Regiment and Norton Barracks

It gave me great pleasure to present certificates to all nominees and prizes to the three winners – all very well deserved.  Well done everyone for all you do to make our community of Wychavon a better place.

My other recent engagements included attending the launch of the Safe Place scheme at Evesham Rowing Club.

The scheme provides locations within the town that vulnerable people can go to should they need reassurance and support for a problem or something that’s worrying them whilst out and about.

All Safe Place locations are identified by having a Safe Place sticker displayed. Locations have trained staff members that are able to give reassurance and also help people contact other appropriate support.

The types of places that display the Safe Place sticker in their windows include shops, businesses and public buildings. In Evesham the Safe Place locations are Bridge Street Kitchen, Cobwebs Tea Room, Evesham and District Mental Health Support Services, Herbies Coffee House, Moo Moo’s Café Bar and Moulton Hair and Beauty.

The Safe Place scheme was started when a group of vulnerable young people from Our Way discovered that their friends felt worried and anxious when out and about in their community. The scheme initially started in Kidderminster, but as it is proving to be so popular, and thanks t support from Wychavon District Council and the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner – it is being rolled out across Wychavon, with Pershore soon to follow.

It was interesting to hear from volunteers how this can help the community.

Tags: awards, chairman, community, Frances Smith, worcestershire, Wychavon, Wychavon District Council