06 Nov Celebrations around the first Torbay Community Champion Awards continue

Celebrations around the Torbay Community Champion Awards continue to reverberate around the Bay.

Spontaneous parties have been taking place to mark the finalists’ achievements as the trophies and certificates took pride of place on the shelves and walls of proud recipients.

Sadly, because the number of award entries was higher than we expected, with an incredible 180 nominations, we could not accommodate everyone at the glitzy ceremony at the Redcliffe Hotel in Paignton. Hence, the celebrations with colleagues and fellow volunteers had to take place elsewhere.

Interviews on radio and in the press have been taking place and more are planned. At last fitting recognition for the dedicated efforts of thousands of volunteers and workers in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) in the Bay.

So successful was it that we have already committed to making it an annual event so you might want to start thinking of people you will be putting forward for the 2025 awards.

Last week, we detailed citations that clinched it for the winners of the Health and Wellbeing Champion, Bryan Pitman from Bath Rugby, the Carer of the Year, Kevin Helmore and the Emergency Worker of the Year, Angie Manning from Whats your Problem? and Standing Tall.

This week, it is the turn of the Volunteer of the Year, which had four finalists: Nicola Parham, a YMCA Nightstop host extraordinaire; Zara Oldfield, who set up the cats protection charity, Hector’s House; Barbara Sutton, from Children’s Week; and Carol Pearson an all-round fundraiser and organiser from Torbay Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

The outright winner, though, was Barbar Sutton, who was described by the person who nominated her thus: “Babs volunteers her time for two different voluntary groups – she is a committee member of Children’s Week (Torbay) and their Craft Lead, and she is a Brown Owl of a brownie pack in Torquay. For Children’s Week (Torbay) – Babs takes on sole responsibility for organising and running our Craft Tent – she spends the entire year researching, sourcing and creating over 2000+ craft activities for children to do during our August event (making over 1200 plaster of Paris models to decorate for instance) and other events such as Torbay Air Show, Christmas festivities etc. She is our Craft Queen and is spectacular for imagination and skill.

“For Girl Guiding – she runs her pack and organises everything, giving up her time to run weekly sessions, organise activities and outings and do everything a leader does! She always goes the extra mile and makes it truly special for the children involved. Babs always hides from the limelight – but truly deserves huge recognition for her years of voluntary work.”

A hotly contested and much-anticipated category was for Young Volunteer of the Year with the finalists named as Abbi Hall, another Children’s Week volunteer; Leighton Rose Jarrett an indomitable fundraising litter picker and Lucy Harvey a new young parent who spotted gaps (and filled them) in the support network for people like her.

Possibly the loudest applause of the day erupted when the winner was revealed as Leighton Rose whose citation read: “Leighton is five years old and is a super litter picker. She completed a 30-day litter pick in aid of Animals in Distress around school, away on holiday in Cornwall, in the wind & rain & even when she lost her dear Guinea Pig.

“She’s been amazing. Loves a before & after picture once she’s cleaned up. She’s been joined with some little friends on occasion on the journey. As of this nomination, she had raised £1,150! Despite finishing her 30 days she immediately declared that she would be carrying on until Christmas.

“Leighton has helped to make our home, our streets, our planet that little bit cleaner. She inspires other children to do the same, and she has raised an incredible amount of money that will help animals in distress look after the animals in their care. She is passionate about animals & litter picking for 30 days was her idea!”

Given the standard of all the nominations, it is no surprise that the sponsors were delighted to be associated with it and the audience on the day absolutely loved it. Onwards and upwards.

More next week.