Rochford District Citizens of the Year Awarded for their Efforts

21/5/2015

The individuals and groups who make a big difference to the Rochford District were honoured at an awards ceremony on Friday, May 15.   Each year Rochford District Council asks for nominations for the Citizen of the Year Awards, which are held to recognise and acknowledge residents in our District for their valuable hard work and outstanding achievements. The Judging Panel were inundated with entries, and read exceptional stories from nominees of all ages who contribute to our community in lots of different ways. 

At the special awards ceremony Cllr Terry Cutmore, Leader of Rochford District Council, presented the Citizen of the Year award, as well as honouring the winners in three other categories:-

 Young Citizen

 Charitable Support and

 Community Spirit

Overall winner

The overall winner of the Citizen of the Year Award was Karl Cadman.   Karl is Race Director for the Kirste 5 Race, an annual event which has raised £19,500 for Macmillan Nurses and Southend Hospital Trust since 2012.

Working with Rochford District Council, Karl has helped to bring Parkruns to the district, 5km runs that take place every Saturday morning in Hockley Woods. Since the district’s Parkruns started, 221 runners of all ages and abilities have taken part. Ages range from 10 to 70, with about 25% aged 50+. Every week, around 18 people give up their time to put the run on, with Karl organising the volunteers each week.

Karl is also a ‘Join in Local Leader’ for Essex, encouraging and placing new volunteers in sports clubs in the area. He is a UK Athletics L2 Endurance Coach and England Athletics Race Adjudicator. He also sits on the Essex Athletics Network.

Through his volunteer work at the Benfleet Running Club, Karl inspires people of all ages to get physically active. He has been described as truly inspirational, keen, dedicated and gives up many hours of his time to establish and promote the community and events within the Rochford area. His dedication and passion makes a real difference to the local community.

 

Young Citizen of the Year

The winner of the Young Citizen of the Year award was Karl Beavis. Karl works extremely hard in the community, giving up his day off work to teach boxing to vulnerable young people, teaching discipline/self discipline and, most of all, respect for themselves and others.

Karl has also worked with young mums on a very tight budget, to teach them how to cook from scratch using fresh ingredients.

Father to a young daughter, Karl didn’t do so well at school himself, but his contribution to his local community, shows that such a start need not be a hindrance to getting on.

Charitable Support

The winner of the Charitable Support award was Carol Warren.  Carol has been involved with the Hockley and Hawkwell Old People’s Day Centre for 25 years and it’s partly down to her tremendous dedication that this very worthwhile charity has been able to be kept going. As Deputy Chairman, Carol helps and supports elderly attendees, assists with official forms, accompanies disabled volunteers to interviews, helps in the office, and even arranges food and refreshments.

On top of this Carol still makes time to look after her family, and previously

spent many years supporting and fund-raising for the 1st Hawkwell Scout Group.

Community Spirit

The Judging Panel was so impressed with the quality of the nominations for this category that they were unable to come to one overall winner. Therefore the joint winners of the ‘Community Spirit’ Category were Patricia Byford and Mike Hooper.

Patricia Byford has volunteered with the Rayleigh, Rochford and District Association Voluntary Service (RRAVS) for many years. Taking a lead role in the RRAVS Families in Need Appeal, Patricia raises over £1,000 every year in cash donations, and arranged the distribution of over 100 food parcels to underprivileged families and elderly residents in the district. These parcels are assembled and distributed from Pat’s home, where she also stores a vast collection of toys which are distributed to families, Rayleigh Methodist Church nursery, and Southend Hospital’s Neptune Ward. Pat gives up an incredible amount of time each year to ensure that this project continues to help numerous people across the district.

Mike Hooper has been a long-term member and supporter of Rochford District Neighbourhood Watch for many years, acting as a street co-ordinator, management committee member and, since 2010, has been the Chairman. During his tenure, membership of Neighbourhood Watch in the District has almost doubled. Mike is always willing to organise or participate in community events, including the Council’s COPE events, aimed at older residents of the district, Crucial Crew delivering to school children, bike tagging sessions at many locations, and community safety events.

After presenting the awards, Cllr Terry Cutmore said: “Here at Rochford, we recognise that the district is made up of a number of communities, each with its own qualities and characteristics. It is the people who live and work in these communities and contribute to their wellbeing that help make the Rochford district the place it is today. All those nominated for our Citizen of the Year Awards this year have individually contributed to the life of the District and have made real differences to their communities”.

 

            Karl Beavis                      Carol Warren                     Patricia Byford                    Mike Hooper                Karl Cadman