Community-minded stars are honoured at awards ceremony

This is the fourth time that Elastic FM, the community radio station based in Clowne, has staged the ceremony which highlights those who have contributed to community life.

Nominations were accepted for people who live or work in the Bolsover District or within five miles of Clowne.

The standard of this year’s nominations was incredibly high and the panel of judges had a real challenge to select the winning individuals, community organisations and businesses.

This year’s winners, announced at a ceremony on February 16 included:

Community Contribution of the Year (Sponsored by Buckingham Insurance) – Bernard Haigh of Bolsover Civic Society

Fundraiser of the year – (sponsored by Autosupplies) Gillian Parker, raising money for Cardiac Risk in the Young

Community Organisation of the Year – (Sponsored by Buckingham Insurance) Clowne and District Community Transport

New Business of the Year (Sponsored by 1st Magazines). Joint winners: Roxanne Rhodes : Mind Matters Therapies, Jeanette Levick - Simply I Do, June McGuire - Paws, Tracy Egley - Blitz and Gleam

Community Care Award – (Sponsored by Karen Child) Mark North of the Bolsover Freedom Project

Entrepreneur of the Year – (sponsored by Clowne Enterprise) David Clarke, Autosupplies Ltd

Teacher of the Year – Julie Palmer (Heritage High School)

Student of the year – Lauren Sabin (Heritage High School)

Business of the Year (Sponsored by The Unique Network) – Hotel Van Dyk

Volunteer of the Year - Zynell Mason for her work with children in Pinxton

Local Retail Champion of the Year – Fair Deal, Clowne – Julie and Chris Hampson

Customer Service Award – (Sponsored by Buckingham Insurance) NJUK Hair and Beauty

Kat Mayall Award for an outstanding contribution to our community – Don Spencer, retired head of Heritage High School

Guests at the ceremony dinner included award nominees, business sponsors and award presenters from all walks of life.

It was especially poignant that the Kat Mayall award was presented by Kat’s parents, Paul and Wendy Hibberd.

Kat was a young, enthusiastic and much loved presenter at Elastic FM who died tragically in 2015.

Elastic FM Director, Paul Davies, said: “This is the fourth year that we have presented the Community Awards and it gets bigger and better each time. For many people it is a complete eye-opener to see what people are doing to support their community and to help other people.

“Without these awards their efforts and achievements might go unnoticed. It is a real privilege to be able to celebrate the work of so many fantastic people.”