The recognition they deserve

Mayor Tony Booth’s Civic service became a celebration of community and volunteering as he introduced the annual Mayor’s Community Recognition awards. These recognise individuals and  organisations who give their time to help and support others, and Tony identified four recipients whom he said have greatly impressed him during his time as Mayor.

Lee Cooper devotes much of his time working with young children with special educational needs such as autism, creating a safe and exciting world for them through football. ‘His contribution and the positive difference that he makes in their lives and those around them is truly inspiring,’ said Tony.

Tony presented Diane Wildish with her award for her support of the young people of Shipston for over 20 years, saying:
‘Diane is instrumental in the establishment and success  of the girl guides and brownies since opening the first Rainbows group in 2007. She has travelled the world in her role and has
recently been commissioner for Kineton Division. She attends many local events with her girls and supports many fund raising activities within the community.’

A team award went to Shipston Community First Responders, a lifesaving team of dedicated volunteers serving our community to help save lives and keep patients safe until an ambulance arrives (which can sometimes feel like an eternity). They also provide free community lifesaving training as well as installing and managing a huge network of defibrillators around the town and surrounding villages. A member of the team himself, Tony said: ‘I value and respect everything that my colleagues do and it was a pleasure to provide them with the recognition they deserve.’

The final award went to Christopher Townsend who,  over a 17-year career as an on-call firefighter, has with his crew kept the town safe. Tony said ‘I believe I speak for the town when I say how
sorry and shocked we all were to lose the lifesaving cover that your team provided to us. We thank Chris and his crew for the service that they provided to our community.’

Tony also thanked all the other people and organisations in Shipston who freely sacrifice their time to support our community and those in need.