Happy Suffolk Day!
Today is all about celebrating Suffolk and the great things our county offers. We do have exceptionally good volunteers, voluntary organisations and charities!
Why not celebrate Suffolk Day by nominating a volunteer, a local organisation, charity event or your village hall for a Community Action Suffolk award?
Nominations are now open for the Community Action Suffolk Awards 2017 (supported by Birketts Solicitors), which recognise the volunteers, communities and young people making an impact on the lives of people in Suffolk.
Eight awards will be presented to individuals and organisations in Suffolk, from Village Hall or Community Building of the Year to the Outstanding Contribution to Volunteering award. If you know of someone, or an organisation making a real difference, you have until Friday 21 July 2017 to make your nomination here: www.communityactionsuffolk.org.uk/awards.
Freckenham Village Hall, near Mildenhall, won the 2016 Village Hall or Community Building of the Year award. Jane Leitch, Secretary to the Trustees at the Hall, said:
“It is so lovely to be recognised for the hard work and occasional sleepless nights! The Hall will be 20 years old in 2017 and we have come a long way from just having a Mother & Toddler group or the occasional bingo session, lunch or outing to the seaside!”
The Hall Committee consists of a dedicated group of enthusiastic volunteers who ensure an inclusive, active programme of events including farmers markets, film nights, exercise classes and live entertainment. They work hard to make the building more sustainable, having installed solar panels and upgraded the lighting system to save energy, and with plans to install a more energy efficient heating system.
Judith Gunion won an award in 2016 for her volunteering achievements, giving her time to many local, national and international events. Judith said:
“I can’t believe I’m stood here inspiring others, when only a few years ago I was just one of 270,000 people who applied to be a London 2012 Gamesmaker. Volunteering is a fantastic way of learning that you can push your boundaries. You will learn from it, grow from it and in time you will pass on those skills to others. So take the first step. Start small and then let the world be your oyster”.
The eight CAS Awards are:
- The Anne Dunford OBE award for Youth Participation
- The Roddy Macleod award for Youth Club of the Year
- The Andrew Towers award for Young Person of the Year
- The Colonel Probert award for Community Initiative
- The Ian Campbell MBE award for Individual Initiative
- The Village Hall / Community Building award (supported by CAS Insurance Services)
- Outstanding Contribution to Volunteering (supported by My CharityGuard)
- Event Organiser of the Year (supported by Larking Gowen)
Awards will be presented at CAS’s Annual Celebration event on 26 September 2017 at the Museum of East Anglian Life.