Winners of Community Heroes Awards revealed
Nearly 30 customers have been named winners in our latest Community Heroes Awards.
The awards are designed to recognise the brilliant work being done by our customers in their communities.
The winners were nominated for a range of reasons, including their incredible voluntary work, efforts to keep their community clean and tidy and carrying out good deeds for their neighbours.
In total, 28 customers were named as a winner and each received a letter, certificate and £50 shopping voucher as a thank you.
Sue Crask, Community Programmes Manager, said: “It was amazing to receive so many nominations for the Community Heroes Awards this year.
“The nominations go to show just how much our customers do in their communities, but also beyond their own neighbourhoods.
“It’s always enjoyable to be able to recognise and reward these customers and show the appreciation of not only the Group, but the people who nominated them for their awards.
“I’d like to congratulate everyone who received an award.”
One winner, Frank Sparkes from Grimsby, was nominated for his voluntary work in keeping the north wall sea defence between Immingham and Grimsby clear from rubbish.
Frank has an army of volunteers who help him, but he funds lots of this work out of his own pocket and goes out in all weather to pick up litter and remove fly-tipping.
He said: “To receive this from my landlord is fantastic and it made my day, it was really nice.
“To receive appreciation for what I love doing anyway is always rewarding, but I just love keeping my community tidy and clean.
“I don’t mind getting stuck in, but I must also say thank you to the volunteers who join me to do what we do. It helps our mental health and benefits the community.
“Getting the certificate and voucher was lovely and I’m thinking of using it to buy some more gloves for the volunteers. I’ll need at least 20 pairs in various sizes, so this will help.
“Without a doubt, it’s been a mix of emotions to win a Community Heroes Award but it’s lovely. I’m so grateful and want to say thank you very much.”
Community Heroes Awards winners
Here are a selection of some of our winners from the Community Heroes Awards and the reasons they were nominated.
- Adele Gray - for helping others with shopping, collecting prescriptions and Post Office runs.
- Annabelle Welsh - for being willing to help others with shopping and regularly litter picking.
- Anthony Hunter - for helping others with jobs and providing transport for those who need it.
- Daniel Perks - for his work in the community garden and helping others in need.
- Frank Sparkes - for cleaning the North Wall tidal defence and keeping the community tidy.
- John Smith - for his hard work in the community garden and making it look beautiful.
- Toni Davis - for helping and supporting others in the community.
- Claire Thompson - for supporting animal rescue centres and associated fundraising.
- Eileen Busch - for her great work on her scheme and for being willing to help others.
- Gillian Ballington - for her great community work and supporting several groups.
- Jill Alderman - for helping others with their garden, walking dogs for people and helping those in need.
- Karen Barnes - for volunteering with the Salvation Army and helping children to receive Christmas gifts.
- Linda Walford - for helping at coffee mornings, arranging social activities and going the extra mile to help.
- Susan Lycett - for her fantastic work with the Beechdale Lifelong Learning Centre.
- Lesley Waldock - for her hard work at the Community Centre and her fundraising efforts.
- Michelle Parkinson - for running Reach Out Together Rushden, helping the homeless and supporting the lonely.
- Pamela Fountain - for all the kindness and support shown to those in her community.
- Sonia Spencer - for always making time to help and support those in her community and always showing kindness.