The county's volunteers who do the most for other people have been recognised at the Cumbria Community Awards dinner held at Rheged near Penrith last night.
A total of 13 awards were presented in a range of categories to recognise all the hard work done by those who put others before themselves.
The 2007 winners are:
- Chairman’s Award (sponsored by Cumbria County Council)
Winner: Carlisle Asian Women's Group - a support network for Cumbria's Asian women set up by Saj Ghafoor from Carlisle's HDM Spice Shop.
Runner up: Show Racism The Red Card - a Whitehaven-based anti-racism initiative driven by campaigner Peter Foley, one of the first professional black footballers in Britain.
- Volunteer of the Year Award (sponsored by Digital UK)
Winner: Betty Armstrong and Joan Humes for their work in running Moorclose Community Centre.
Runner up: Laurence Marshall for his services to Silloth, which include work on the Silloth Carnival committee, serving on Silloth town council, work with Christ Church and Silloth community transport.
- Young Volunteer of the Year (sponsored by The Edinburgh Woollen Mill)
Winner: Tom Davis-Merry from Rosthwaite in Keswick. This sixth-former does volunteer work for British Red Cross (runs first aid sessions), Embleton Multimedia Group (he chairs the committee) and Soundwaves (he is youth music leader). Runner up: Anya Leonard from Salterbeck in Workington for her volunteer work for Wicked Wednesday youth group.
- Education and Learning Award (sponsored by University of Cumbria)
Winner: Clear Choice from Workington, a group set up by ex drug and alcohol users to offer a better understanding of drug and alcohol misuse in the community.
Runner up: Northern School of Asian and Oriental Cooking from Barrow, an enterprise run by John and Soodsawat Rigg to raise awareness of other cultures to rural schools.
- Young Carers Award (sponsored by Cumbria County Council Children’s Services)
Winner: Lorna Mulholland fron Hayton Road, Carlisle for her work caring for her mum, who suffers from MS.
Runner up: South Lakeland Carers Association in Kendal –they raise awareness of the needs of young carers, receive referrals and assess the needs of individual young people.
- Older People Award (sponsored by Cumbria Energy Efficiency Advice Centre)
Winner: Jean Cross for her work with Anthorn Drop-in centre, an initiative to provide a social forum for isolated older people in North Allerdale.
Runner up: Egremont Tea Dance, organised by Sally Norman and daughter Elizabeth from Age Concern in Cleator Moor.
- Social Enterprise Award (sponsored by Northwest Regional Development Agency)
Winner: Growing Well from Low Sizergh Farm in Kendal –where volunteers recovering from mental health problems help run a thriving organic market garden.
Runner up: Eden Community Recycling Ltd from Penrith for its work in supporting the community and improving the environment.
- Environment Award (sponsored by Resource Cumbria)
Winner: Grayrigg Coronation Hall in Kendal. The hall's committee has successfully avoided the closure of the hall and is currently refurbishing it using sustainable materials.
Runner up: Lowick Community Hall for securing a lease to occupy the hall and refurbishing it.
- Healthy Living Award (sponsored by HF Holidays)
Winner: Food & Fitness @ Hindpool Annex. This community centre-based initiative shows mums and toddlers that healthy living is the way forward through a combination of exercise and cooking healthy meals.
Runner up: Association of Community Complementary Therapists, Carlisle, for their work in building a team of therapists and volunteers for local businesses and organisations.
Safer Communities Award (sponsored by Cumbria Constabulary)
Winner: Cumbria Neighbourhood Watch Associations in North Cumbria and Eden for their work in preventing vulnerable members of the community from doorstep crime.
Runner up: David Tattersall from Workington for his work in giving presentations on road safety (relaying his own story as a serious road accident victim) alongside Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service.
Children and Young People Award (sponsored by Studsvik UK Ltd)
Winner: Carlisle Aspatria Athletics Club coach Frank Davidson for his work inspiring young people in athletics.
Runner up: Diana Lamb from The Annex, Raffles in Carlisle –she works for Play Raffles doing volunteer work with after-school groups.
Disability Award (sponsored by Cumbria County Council)
Winner: Joyce Bainbridge from Wigton. After having a stroke and being a member of the speech and language therapy group ‘Say It’, she now volunteers for them helping others to regain their speech and language skills.
Runner up: Carlisle Mencap’s Carlisle Active at Kingmoor Park. Volunteers support people with disabilities to enable them to have equal access to community activities.
Arts Award (sponsored by CN Group)
Winner: Free and Easy Art Group –Brenda Fee from United Reformed Church in Workington. Brenda organises the church's art and craft group which tirelessly works for the local community and charities.
Runner up: Maryport Festivals Ltd –a voluntary not-for-profit group bringing entertainment to the people of Maryport, mainly through the blues festival.
Cumbria County Council's Leader Tim Stoddard, who was one of the judging panel of seven people, said:
"It was incredibly difficult to pick out individual winners when all the finalists clearly do so much for their communities. But we feel we have selected 13 winners who truly represent the real spirit of Cumbria. Cumbria has a high proportion of people who do voluntary work - it's in their nature. But modesty is also something that's in the Cumbrian nature, so many of the people at the awards had to be persuaded by the people who nominated them that they deserve this recognition. I'm glad that they've allowed us to give them the credit they deserve."
Cumbria County Council's Chairman Alan Toole, who presented the Chairman's Award, said:
"I was pleased to see so many people from so many different backgrounds, ages and communities up for these awards. People who do voluntary work are the backbone of our services and make a huge difference to the social and economic well being of the county. These awards have been a huge success and I would like to thank our sponsors for their help and backing as well as anyone who nominated a volunteer."
Notes
1. The judging panel consisted of:
- Cumbria County Council Leader Tim Stoddard
- CN Group Editor Neil Hodgkinson
- Cumbria Community Foundation Director Andy Beeforth
- High Sheriff of Cumbria Claire Hensman
- Former chief executive of CueDoc Ron Fearon
- Barrow Community Foundation board member Mary Mullin
- Bishop of Penrith James Newcome
2. There are 3,000 organisations in Cumbria registered with the Charity Commission.
3. 17% of Cumbrians are either employed or active volunteers.
4. At present around £25m public sector support is provided to the voluntary and community sector in Cumbria, over £20m of this is through the County Council. Support comes in the form of grants, service level agreements and commissioning of services.
5. Cumbria is one of five 'pathfinder' areas in the country that has been selected to explore ways in which the Third Sector can add value to the delivery of local services.
ENDS
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