[source: EADT] An unsung hero from Bury St Edmunds who works tirelessly for her community has been recognised with a special award.
Janice Scott helped form the Priors Estate Action Group in 2014, which was initially set up to oppose the closure and redevelopment of the Priors Inn pub.
Since then Janice, who grew up on the Priors estate, has organised a host of community activities, including weekly sports days, annual fireworks and Christmas parties, weekly litter picks, pantomime trips for children and dinners for pensioners.
She has also helped establish a network for parents to help them support each other and led a community consultation over the new play area.
Janice also mentors and acts as a role model for people on the estate and, as chairman of the action group, speaks up on behalf of the Priors on many subjects, including the recent consultation on the town centre draft masterplan.
Janice has been named as the 2017 winner of Community Action Suffolk’s Ian Campbell MBE award for individual initiative.
Janice said: “I was brought up on this estate and in my opinion it is a great place to live.
“It is a real community where people look after each other. In fact, there’s so many people on the estate working hard to achieve positive things for this community, so while it’s my name on the award, really this is for all of them.
“It is nice to get an award and recognition but our main purpose is to work on behalf of the estate and I will continue to do all that I can to help the people that live here, and to make this an even better place to live.”
Councillor Robert Everitt, cabinet member for families and communities at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, and a ward member for the estate, said: “For the simplest explanation of what we mean when we talk about our families and communities strategy then you would need look no further than Janice Scott.
“Our work is about supporting families and strengthening communities to enable them to become more resilient and more able to help themselves – and quite frankly Janice does the lot. She is a remarkable woman and I am delighted that she has received this recognition.”
Councillor Clive Springett, who also represents the Priors estate on the borough council, said: “Janice has worked tirelessly on behalf of her local community and the Priors is an even better place as a result of all her efforts.
“She galvanises people, brings them together and helps lift them up. Credit to her and a huge congratulations on winning this award.”
Janice will be formally presented with the award at a ceremony at The Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket on Tuesday, September 26.