The hard work of local volunteers from across the county has been celebrated at Lincolnshire County Council’s annual Good Citizens Awards.
Awards are made in four categories:
Individual: Won by John Mould for his work with Boston Men’s Shed in 2021 – an initiative that provides mutual support for local men struggling with a variety of personal issues.
John has led a massive fundraising effort to ensure the project’s future and as a result it’s now moved to larger premises. This is with the aim of increasing its current opening times of two days a week so that it can support more men and get involved with more community projects.
Members of the Boston Men’s Shed have gained a great sense of purpose and helped the Boston community as a whole through working on projects for organisations such as The Salvation Army, Women’s Refuge, Marie Curie and Boston in Bloom.
Young Citizen: 10-year-old AlfieAlfie Coombes from Branston wanted to raise money for people who don’t have enough food. Alfie suffered a brain injury at birth and has of cerebral palsy, hypermobility, and global development delay. He has chronic pain and requires support with a wheelchair when walking long distances. Following a sponsored bike ride he was in immense pain for four days, but rode 20.1 miles in a single day, raising over £500 for the Lincoln Community Grocery run by Message Trust in partnership with Alive Church which stocks good food that would have gone to waste and makes it available for members from just £5 per shop. For that, they can fill their basket with fresh fruit and veg, pantry items, chilled and frozen food and toiletries.
Community Group: Buddies Dementia Café in Nettleham has 80 people attending bi-monthly meetings at Nettleham Village Hall from local villages and the Lincoln area. Those living with dementia often find music a powerful way to connect with memories, create positive feelings and encourage social interaction so the meetings always feature a live singer or a small band. The committee is supported by a team of volunteers who set up the village hall, greet members, serve refreshments and take time to chat with everyone.
Pair or Couple: Salvation Army members Michael and Morag Watkins’ voluntary work continues to have a positive impact on people of all ages. Michael is a familiar face on Lincoln’s High Street where he can be found most Fridays outside Marks and Spencer selling the weekly Salvation Army magazine War Cry and chatting to passers-by at the store entrance. Morag leads the church’s weekly CAMEO club (Come And Meet Each Other) on Monday afternoons at the city’s Salvation Army Church which gives the opportunity for social interaction. At Christmas they both arranged for new toys to be collected beside the Salvation Army hall’s Christmas tree.
The presentation was hosted by Lincolnshire County Council chairman Cllr Eddie Strengiel, who said: “I am proud to say that our county has a great tradition of volunteering, so, with that in mind, the county council created the Good Citizens Awards to give us the opportunity to recognise our own unsung heroes.
“This year’s winners are truly inspirational and make a huge difference to their communities through their unstinting commitment.
“The winners were chosen from a host of nominations covering all corners of the county and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to tell us about the unsung heroes from their communities.”
