A lucky thirteen local residents have the honour of being the first recipients of the Wigan Life Awards in a glittering ceremony in Leigh Sports Village.
Last year, the council and its partners appealed for people to nominate friends, family, community leaders or anyone who would go that extra mile, and judges were inundated with takes of good neighbours, teachers who inspire the next generation of sports men and women, groundbreaking health experts and community-spirited businesses.
“Everyone here is a winner,” Cllr Mark Aldred, Mayor of Wigan Borough, told the assembled nominees. “The stories being recounted tonight are moving and full of the great local spirit of support and friendship that we don’t hear about often enough.”
The Wigan Borough Partnership had the difficult task of choosing a winner in each of the thirteen categories from an impressive range of entries. So to ensure all the most worthy people were able to be thanked and rewarded, everyone who was commended, as well as the eventual winners, plus their nominees, were invited to the ceremony.
Hosting the evening was Annabel Tiffin from BBC North West, and dignitaries present in the dramatic multi million pound sports complex included the Mayor and Mayoress, council leader and chair of the Wigan Borough Partnership Lord Peter Smith, senior politicians and members of the Wigan Borough Partnership itself.
Lord Smith said: “There are real local heroes and heroines in our community. Working with others in their schools and streets, or with the council, or sometimes on their own, they make the borough a better place and we salute their dedication, their devotion and their successes.”
The nominees and winners each received an attractive etched-glass trophy:
Highly commended in the Good Neighbour Award were Kerry Crichley from Wigan who raised the alarm when her 87 year old neighbour’s chip pan caught fire, and Barry and Jean Doherty of Lowton, who help out with jobs to support their neighbour Renne Steward.
The Good Neighbour winner was David Bailey from Higher Folds in Leigh who dug out homes from the snow this winter and cooks and run errands for an 86 year old down his street.
- Highly commended for the Green and Glorious Award were Atherton Environmental Projects, who have won an Urban Design Award for restoring eyesores into valuable community places, and also Wigan Council’s Youth Offending Team, who work with young people on eco projects to break down perceptions of them.
- The Green and Glorious Award went to John Belshaw for his tireless litter picks and clean ups for the Friends of Douglas Valley in Wigan.
- The Eco-Friendly School Award saw highly commended prizes for St Mark’s CE in Newtown, whose anti fast food litter and walk to school campaigns have been very successful, and for Garrett Hall Primary in Tyldesley who have had three Eco School Awards, including the Green Flag status, within just a few months.
- Winning the Eco-Friendly Award on the night was St John’s CE Infants in Leigh, who also got all three Awards in under a year, as well as growing their own veg and doing community litter picks and recycling.
- Receiving highly commended prizes for Business Contribution were Howard Gallimore, a tireless supporter of eco schemes in Wigan town centre as well as running three successful restaurants, and also Ged Tyrrell and partners, who are passionate about supporting fair trade farmers in the horn of Africa.
- The winners of the Business Contribution Award were Moss Bank Nurseries, whose work with locals greening their areas, and supplying advice and staff to transform derelict land, led to a nomination from a community group in Atherton.
- The Life Changing Award for people who have turned their own, or others’ lives around saw highly commended prizes to Josie Maguire of whose ‘Voice of Woodcock’ tenants’ group has supported youth groups especially in Platt Bridge, and Sylvia Carter from Wigan who provides respite care for her son.
- The Life Changing Award was presented to the staff of Westleigh Lodge Nursing Home, who help and support people suffering with dementia.
- Highly commended in the Partnership Award were the Bridgers Community Group, Atherton Environmental Projects, St Michael’s Church and School, local businesses, Moss Bank Nurseries and Wigan Council for their work in Howe Bridge, and also Vera Clarke and Tip Tops group for their community work in Beech Hill.
- The Partnership Award was won by the Boroughwide Community Network, for their environmental events and activities in many venues around the borough.
- Highly commended for Sports Personality were Graham Marston of Lowton who is working to improve facilities for cricketers in Golborne, and Nathan Leung, an ambitious and award winning street dancer from Atherton.
- The winner of the Sports Personality Awards was Jeffrey Johnson, who devotes his evenings and weekends to coaching both able bodied and disabled players at Bryn Badminton Club.
- The Healthy Schools Award went to the single, standout performer, Rose Bridge High School, where health and wellbeing are at the top of its agenda and their work with the Over 50s Forum and many other groups, as well as with their own students, meant that they received this prize.
- Highly commended in the category for Children’s Champion were Lyndsey Stone, dedicated volunteer with Wigan Children’s Fund, and also Jamie Rigby, fundraiser and supporter of his old primary school.
- The winner of the Children’s Champion Awards, who has spent 40 years coaching sports at school and taking people to the Special Olympics, was Jeffrey Johnson of Shevington High.
- Highly commended for the Health and Wellbeing award were Wigan Council’s Supported Employment Service, who look after over 200 people with disabilities and find sustained work places for them, and also NHS Ashton, Leigh and Wigan’s Trainer Service, who work one to one with individuals who have health and lifestyle risks.
- The winner of the Health and Wellbeing award was Dr Nayyar Naqvi OBE, whose own efforts in a distinguished career have created a cardiology service for the borough from a basic facility in the 1970s.
- Young Citizen of the Year highly commended awards went to Reece Wilkinson of Aspull, a 12 year old black belt in Karate and a prominent fundraiser, and to Nicola Fairhurst from Hindley Green, whose time helping out at Hindley Rugby and Football Club sets such a great example.
- The Young Citizen Award was presented to Ben Cunliffe, who, despite diabetes and crohns disease, fundraises and helps out at Wigan Little Theatre as a lighting technician and drama teacher.
- Highly commended Volunteers of the Year were Butterflies Children’s Charity for their successful shop fundraising for sick, disabled and disadvantaged children, and Barbara Lambert, Chair of the Wrightington League of Friends, car boot organiser, Victim Support helper and assistant in the Wigan History Shop, as well as tireless supporter for a number of poorly relatives.
- George Herring was awarded the Volunteer of the Year prize, for his indispensible role in many capacities at St Patrick’s Rugby Club in Wigan, cleaning, painting, seeding and washing the kits.
- The highly commended nominations for Ambassador of Wigan Borough were Jamie Rigby, raising thousands for local charities and putting others first, and Christine Ridyard of Atherton, who has strongly supported Wigan Borough in Bloom in her home town and beyond.
- The winner of the Ambassador of Wigan Borough was fireman Simon Cording from Platt Bridge. His work in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, along with colleagues from across Greater Manchester, saved lives and helped the country in its darkest hour.
At the ceremony, the audience saw often emotional short films about the winning nominees which highlighted the kind of work which brought them to the attention of the judges.
The Wigan Life Awards organisers were keen to thank everyone for their community spirit and were delighted that new friendships, connections and partnerships were being forged on the night itself as individuals and groups chatted after the ceremony finished.
Lord Smith says: “Wigan Life is a brand to celebrate aspirations and partnerships across our borough. That might sound very grand, but here we see it coming true as individuals make a real and dramatic difference to the lives of others and make Wigan Borough a place where altruism and friendship flourishes.”
Plans are being drawn up for next year’s ceremony and the organisers will be asking for nominations for the 2011 awards later in the year. Look out for details on wiganlife.com(external link)
