Award Nominees 2020

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 1 Stone Community Hub Sewing for our NHS Group

Tittensor Best Kept Village

Barlaston Community Action Group Forebridge Litter Heroes

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 2 We would like to thank our generous sponsors.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 3 Tittensor Best Kept Village Project Juhi Bhangrablaze

Sewing for our NHS Group

Eccleshall Eagles Junior Football Club Stafford Walking Street Market

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 4 Welcome

This is our 4th annual awards ceremony, where we will be celebrating the great work that the people of Stafford Borough have done in our community during 2020. Looking at the programme you will see a diverse range of work that has been carried out in the community all across the borough. In many cases, choosing a winner proved difficult, due to the overall excellence of nominees.

Introduction Mr Tim Clegg Chief Executive, Stafford Borough Council

Community Action Councillor Jeremy Pert

Sports and Leisure Councillor Mike Smith

Social Wellbeing Councillor Jeremy Pert

Small Grants and Sports Grants Councillor Gareth Jones The Worshipful the Mayor of Stafford Borough

Councillor Mike Smith

Environmental Improvement Councillor Jonathan Price

Local Hero Councillor Jeremy Pert

Additional Awards Councillor Gareth Jones The Worshipful the Mayor of Stafford Borough

Mr Tim Clegg Chief Executive, Stafford Borough Council

Closing Words Councillor Jeremy Pert

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 5 Debbie Green Stafford Lions Club

Eccleshall Eagles Junior Football Club

Tittensor Best Kept Village Project Georgia Burge

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 6 Community Action

Weston Road Academy Elim Hope Church Rainbow Run Elim Hope Hub Nominated by Sara Setterfield Elim Hope Hub comprises of a variety of initiatives designed to positively impact, support and enhance All pupils, staff and governors take part in Weston the lives of people in the community. Initiatives include Road Academy’s annual 5K ‘Race for Life’. People the Christians Against Poverty Job Club, money within the school community help out in any way they courses, foodbanks, life skills training and the Ark can by providing medical assistance or handing out Café. They are working to help people help water. During the pandemic, they weren’t sure how themselves and to develop stronger communities by they would be able to carry this tradition on, so they putting the tools in the hands of those who need it to had a virtual Rainbow Run in July! Everyone got promote good health and wellbeing. Elim Hope involved in their own way and people took pictures of Church wanted to help those who access their themselves doing their 5K as part of their daily foodbank get to a place where they don’t have to use exercise. People wore colourful clothes for the this facility anymore helping people to get their ‘Rainbow Run’ in support of our NHS - in particular independence back and giving them a sense of County Hospital. They raised £1,369! achievement and confidence as they move forward.

Fulford Parish Council The Corner Patch, Eccleshall Fulford Parish Community Scrubs for the NHS, Action Group Stoke - Stafford and Eccleshall Nominated by Janette Forrester Nominated by Councillor Jeremy Pert In light of Covid-19, Councillors presented the idea During lockdown, Janet found herself as one of the of a Community Action Group; this included a organisers for the local Scrubs4Stoke campaign. recruitment drive for support volunteers and a publicity Hospitals were short of scrubs as more and more staff campaign to households with an ‘Action Line’ to call needed loose, washable tops and trousers. An appeal and request help. The service provided by Fulford for fabric on social media resulted in over 250 Parish has benefited the community by helping 422 donations, offers to sew the scrubs and even financial people to get shopping and prescriptions, attend contributions from businesses and individuals. Over hospital appointments or making welfare calls. They £4,000 was received and used to buy fabric. The have also completed over 3,655 individual requests group has sewn over 110 sets of scrubs, countless from service users. laundry bags, scrub hats, head covers and ear savers.

Silkmore Community Baswich Community Group Support Group Facebook Page Nominated by Councillor Ann Edgeller Nominated by Councillor Ann Edgeller This group is made up of people coming together in This Facebook page gives up to date information to the Silkmore area to look after the most vulnerable residents about what is happening in the Baswich people, both young and old. The group has helped area. It gives people information on the doctors people who were running out of nappies, they have surgery, any road closures that might be in place in the washed and ironed clothes for people and they area and also promotes social events that people are continue to help families in need of food. They are able to attend. It is a noticeboard for the community. filling a black hole throughout the crisis.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 7 Hidden Warriors Neighbours Helping Neighbours Nominated by Councillor Ann Edgeller Nominated by Councillor Ann Edgeller and Councillor Marnie Phillips From the start of 2020, Gavin wanted to help in any way that he could with community work. With the onset At the start of the pandemic, the Neighbours Helping of Coronavirus, Gavin and his team (even though he Neighbours scheme was started to help people in the was alone at first) did an amazing job by providing Baswich, Wildwood and Weeping Cross areas get help with packs for children and giving children access to the help they needed. They have come playing and educational materials to help them together to help the most vulnerable people within our through these difficult times. They have worked very society - young and old. Throughout this crisis they well with the children at Silkmore Academy and Flash have helped fill that gap and are prepared to carry on Ley Primary School and he has also worked with doing as much work as humanly possible to assist Veritas and the House of Bread. the community.

Looking after our NHS Staff LR Partnership Nominated by Councillor Ann Edgeller Stafford Walking Street Market Nominated by John Matthews Ellen was very concerned about the length of time the staff at County Hospital were having to work within a Stafford Walking Street is run by the LR Partnership, shift, so she decided to help keep them going by taking place in Stafford town centre and gives people baking treats for them! Baking is one of Ellen’s given the opportunity to shop later in the evening, with many talents so throughout the lockdown period, she baked shops remaining open. There are also musicians, and delivered the most amazing cakes of all different bands and other performers that get involved. variations. It was welcomed with open arms by the very grateful staff. The town was the main beneficiary as well as local shops with extra footfall. The early 2020 events were cancelled of course due to Covid, however two events The County Store have taken place with Covid restrictions and local The Community Organisers council rules in place and were very successful. Food Project Nominated by Councillor Anne Hobbs Sewing for our NHS Group As we moved into a nationwide lock down, it soon The County Store has been open since July 2019, became clear that there was not enough PPE for our selling surplus food. Food, toiletries and other basic front line workers. In March, Lianne got out the sewing products are received from both supermarkets and machine and for the best part of six months, it has residents. The team of volunteers then box up the food been a prominent feature on her dining room table! and sell it at a low price to families in the Stafford Area. The boxes are full of fruit and vegetables, but also Lianne has been teaching her daughters how to make other staples such as cereal, bread and condiments; scrubs bags, headbands with buttons on (for face the boxes are sold from £5 - £8.50 to people who sign mask elastic to go around) and ear-savers, and has up to the scheme (which is free to join). They have slowly built up to making scrubs. Their network of worked hard during the pandemic, proving the store to sewing enthusiasts soon built up to 35 ladies, who be a necessity for those most in need. The delivery dedicated their spare time to creating masterpieces service has been extremely useful for people who are for front line workers. housebound and people who have had to self isolate.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 8 The Voice of Stafford Businesses Helping businesses to promote themselves locally and nationally INDUSTRIAL and COMMERCIAL staff 90,000 website visitors per year at stafford-towncentre.co.uk

2,000 e-newsletter subscribers

9,500 Twitter followers Recruitment is not just about matching a person to a vacancy Membership starts at £110 +VAT it’s about matching a personality. To find out more, go to: 44 Eastgate Street, Stafford, ST16 2LY www.stafford-towncentre.co.uk Tel: 01785 254555 | www.faymayer.co.uk

Campaign We Deliver Award winning & Community Engagement

to you when you can’t get to us Safer Litterpicking - solo, social bubble, or small group kits available for social distance litter picks Available at McDonald’s Knowledge - environmental education for all ages Greengate St & Eccleshall Road Campaign Resources - litter picking guides, free funding advice, safer litter collection guidance Download the Uber Eats app to order and volunteer campaign support

View our 100% reusable range: HHEnvironmental.co.uk Order line: 01531 635678 Email: [email protected] At participating McDonald’s (see www.mcdonalds.co.uk/mcdelivery to find your nearest store). See the Uber Eats app for full details, including products available for delivery. Uber Eats delivery fee applies. © 2020 McDonald’s

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 9

1299_82x125.5_McDelivery_UE_626669.indd 1 22/10/2020 08:13 Sports & Leisure

This is Fitness Eccleshall Eagles Nominated by Julie Simpson Junior Football Club Nominated by Councillor Jeremy Pert Liam and Hayley started This Is Fitness as a gym, but it is so much more than that. They are not only Eccleshall Eagles Junior Football Club has teams from concerned with physical fitness but mental health the ages of 6 to 16, playing in both the Mid Staffs is just as important. League and Potteries Leagues. There are in excess of 200 young people training and playing with Eccleshall The whole gym is a real community. The members Eagles every week. The facilities have been improved and coaches are so supportive to everyone and the every year with investments in the quality of the pitches commitment which they showed to the members through things like buying grounds maintenance during lockdown was amazing. Not only did they equipment, reducing the compaction of the ground, move personal training and classes online, but also aerating the pitches regularly and generally fertilising held quizzes, sports day and bingo! This was not and maintaining the pitches to an extremely high only for gym members but something that the whole standard. The grounds person was recently family could enjoy. nominated in the Staffordshire Ground Maintenance Person of the Year award, which covers all ages of As lockdown hit, every member was provided with club from non league downwards. The Club has a long equipment to help with the online sessions which standing relationship with the nearby prison - HMP made a real difference. This is Fitness takes an active Drake Hall - whereby women pre-parole come and run role in ensuring the members feel like family. the onsite cafe which helps generate funds to help make the club sustainable for the long term, whilst giving the women some much need opportunities to re-engage with the outside world and gain some valuable self confidence.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 10 Social Wellbeing

Stone Community Hub Stafford Lions Club Response to Covid Crisis We Serve Stone Community Hub helps residents of Stone on a Nominated by Ed Rule variety of different issues such as supporting job searches, blue badge applications and provides a Lions clubs are exclusively charitable, they help by foodbank. As a result of the lockdown, the number of promoting principles of good citizenship, encouraging people in serious need of support rose. The Hub members to attend events, promoting the voluntary recognised the urgent need for funds, volunteers, sector, relief of poverty and those in need and space and material. The staff suspended normal supporting young people to develop their skills and operations to reorganise the Frank Jordan Centre with capabilities. They have helped many groups and additional space to accommodate a much larger people in the last year and they have also donated foodbank and the need for social distancing. By £1,000 to Stafford Foodbank. Stafford Lions is an August, 1,250 food parcels had been delivered. outstanding Lions club and last year won the ‘Club Excellence Award’ - the only Lions club in their District of over 100 clubs to receive this award.

Juhi Bhangrablaze Nominated by Dhraj Kumar

Bhangrablaze started as a group of friends at Wildwood Community Hall. It was popular, with many more expressing an interest to join. During the pandemic, the group continued to meet for weekly online sessions. Bhangrablaze delivers a fitness program to locals from children aged three years to adults aged 75 years old as well as the low impact ‘Bhangra Seated’ version. Physiological benefits include improved overall cardiovascular functions, renewed physical stamina, increased lung power, enhanced muscle tone and flexibility and weight loss. Bhangra is a stress and tension buster; improving attitude and increasing confidence, fostering group Eccleshall Cares camaraderie and building new friendships. Eccleshall Cares Support Service Nominated by Eccleshall Parish Council

Eccleshall Cares was set up in response to the Coronavirus pandemic - just a few days into lockdown. Eccleshall Cares assists anybody in Eccleshall Parish who is vulnerable or isolated by providing shopping or prescription collection and having a helpline set up for people to ring. Eccleshall Cares have fulfilled 960 requests for assistance from local residents. Their services are run by volunteers and are completely free of charge; simply a lifeline for so many people within Eccleshall Community.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 11 Supporting Elderly Members Re-Solv of the Community Supporting Young Peoples Nominated by Lianne Al-Khaldi Mental Health Nominated by Councillor Jeremy Pert At the beginning of lockdown in March 2020, Mai Al-Khaldi dropped a note into each of the houses that When Covid-19 hit in March, Re-Solv had to quickly she delivers papers to, offering help and friendship for figure out how to deliver their service under the new as long as needed to ensure that each of her elderly restrictions. They worked to deliver their prevention customers never at any point felt lonely, without workshops and other outreach activities online, which shopping or essentials. During lockdown, Mai will also help ‘future-proof’ their service. in addition to collected and paid bills, shopping, prescriptions, and this, they have created a range of digital resources on made phone calls to each of her customers on a their website. regular basis. For some, this was the only interaction with the outside world. Mai’s project has benefited the Re-Solv have been recognised nationally as being elderly community who would have felt extremely dedicated to supporting young people in particular isolated, or unable to safely collect food shopping for with their mental health. They have engaged with a number of reasons including being in the high risk young people through a variety of mediums such as category, having no access to the internet, or Facebook pages, Twitter and Zoom, focussing their struggling to get delivery slots with fully booked messages around up and coming trends amongst supermarkets. young people. Covid-19 Community Action Group Covid-19 Community Action Plan Nominated by Michala Black

This project evolved in early March as news of the Coronavirus was spreading and the first COBRA meeting was called by the Government. Barlaston has an elderly demographic and there was concern that residents’ health and wellbeing would be affected. The group’s strategy was to work with the local shops and amenities to support the community through what was inevitably going to be a difficult time. Groups of volunteers were formed into ‘help teams’ dependant on what they were able to do, where they lived and when they were available. Neighbours formed WhatsApp groups, sewing groups made washbags, scrubs and masks, an enterprising teenager decorated a tree with messages for the NHS and keyworkers which was adopted by the whole road as well as passers-by. Further teams supporting food shops were established and the Vicar lead the way for personal contact as he telephoned residents on a daily basis providing a listening ear, comfort by way of prayer, as well as just general chit-chat.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 12 FLEXIBLE HIGHER EDUCATION IN STAFFORD At the University of Wolverhampton in Stafford (UWiS) we Hygiene & Janitorial offer Flexible learning, tailored around you Public lectures, workshops and taster sessions Specialist clinics (incl. UCAS and Business Solutions) and Printing & Embroidery expert advice

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Opening hours: 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday (+ evening and weekend classes at advertised times) Choose whether to study part-time or full-time, so you can tailor your The University of Wolverhampton in Stafford 2a Staffordshire Place study requirements around your Stafford life, or opt for one of our distance Staffordshire learning courses with local ST16 2LP support. Visit: uwis.co.uk Email: [email protected] Call: 01902 321 228

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 13 Small Grants and Sports Grants

Small Grants House of Bread | £350 House of Bread would like to design and produce Stafford Borough Council, have made available a small a range of informative literature to ensure that as grants fund. This fund will award grants to organisations many people as possible are aware of the services who provide facilities or services for people in the they provide. This will include information on their geographical area covered by Stafford Borough Café 43 service, bread making leaflets and Council. Projects supported by the grant must be of information posters. benefit to local residents, bring about a lasting benefit to members or the wider community and help to increase organisations sustainability or reach. A Child of Mine | £736 This organisation supports families who have lost a Grants awarded this round: child. Bereavement can have a detrimental affect on mental health and wellbeing and A Child of Mine work Age Concern Stone tirelessly to support both parents and children who and District | £720 have lost their siblings. Their grant will support families in Stafford Borough by distributing activity packs and Age Concern Stone and District are supporting older gifts to families, the production and distribution of local residents with advice on benefit scheme positive postcards which are sent to families each entitlement, applications and helping them to apply for week as well as supporting their Zoom and telephone blue badges. In order to make this more accessible, a sessions so as families can feel completely supported grant has been awarded to them to purchase an iPad. at the most unimaginable painful time. This will enable their dedicated team of computer literate volunteers to apply for schemes easily.

Stone Lions Club | £720 Sports Grants Working with Staffordshire Women’s Aid, Stone The Stafford Borough Council Sports Grants scheme Lions Club will support women and children with allocates funds to talented sports performers, local resettlement packages after they leave the refuge. sports clubs and local sports coaches. The Stafford The packages will contain supermarket vouchers and Borough Sports grants are open voluntary, non-profit vouchers for homeware shops to enable them to buy making organisations, local sports clubs and more. essential items to help make their new house a home. The aim of the fund is to encourage and support organisations that offer sporting activities to residents of Stafford Borough.

Grant awarded this round: Francesca Armitt | £200 Francesca is a promising young swimmer who competes across the county and surrounding areas. She has high aspirations and is motivated by the successes of other top local swimmers including Adam Peaty, her club’s top female swimmer Harriet Bebbington and her nan who also swam competitively growing up. She was awarded a scholarship to support with her swimming costumes

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 14 Environmental Improvement

Forebridge Litter Hero Tittensor Best Kept Nominated by Councillor Chris Baron Village Project 2020 Nominated by Parish Council Ben Alcock has been collecting litter all around the Forebridge area in his own time and has been At the beginning of the year, Trevor Underhill encouraging others to do the same. commenced planning the 2020 Best Kept Village entry for Tittensor, contacting all the residents who had been This has resulted in a group of litter heroes operating involved in the previous two years. Despite the throughout the area. The litter heroes have done cancellation of this year’s competition following the amazing work in the Forebridge area in order to onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the volunteers keep it a cleaner, tidier and nicer place to live. were keen to carry on! They felt that the planting up of all the existing containers would decorate and enhance the village and therefore everything would be ready for when things returned to normal. The 2020 Best Kept Village Project lifted hearts and encouraged the community to work together and support each other in very difficult times. It has given people the ability to socialise safely, and provided an example of life in a fairly normal form continuing when the whole world seemed to be changing.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 15 Local Hero

Rachael Olley Daniel Cooke & Gareth Brunt Children’s Cancer Parents Fulford Parish Community Alliance Stafford Action Group Nominated by Aly Davidson Nominated by Janette Forrester

Rachael is a native of Stafford and one of the world’s Two Councillors from Fulford Parish Council (Dan living angels. Her one-track mind is set on raising Cooke and Gareth Brunt) quickly identified there was a funds to help bring moments of respite to the mums need to do something in the community to support and dads of little children battling cancer. people as it was evident that Covid-19 was becoming something serious and had the potential to have a During the lockdown period, for example, when huge impact. They presented the idea of a Community donations suddenly stopped, Rachael decided to take Action Group that included an ‘Action Line’ that people advantage of the country’s spring cleaning craze and can use to request help. set up a pop up shop in her own small driveway on Parkside. The community really pitched in; donating The service has helped 422 users getting shopping valuable antique object d’art, good as new clothing, and prescriptions amongst other things and have and almost new furniture, prams, baby items and other completed over 3,655 individual requests from service bric-a-brac. users overall. Dan Cooke even set up a socially distanced ‘birthday surprise’ with a home baked cake for a 95 year old war veteran without family in the area. Joe Cheetham-Wilkinson Eccleshall Cares Margaret Ainsworth Hickman Nominated by Antony Reid Supporting Residents in Eccleshall Cares was founded by Joe in March 2020 Chebsey Parish - before full lockdown - to help people in the local Nominated by Councillor Jeremy Pert community with the isolating effects of being unable to leave the house; protecting the vulnerable and During Covid-19 Chebsey Support Group delivered helping people who had quarantined themselves letters to every property in the parish highlighting in case they were infectious. At the time home the support they were offering, including running delivery from supermarkets was impossible (as errands collecting prescriptions, shopping, dog well as getting tested!). walking or even just making a friendly phone call to speak to people. Joe’s initiative in setting up the scheme was vital; he collected prescriptions, did a bit of shopping or one Chebsey Support Group even organised for the local way drop-offs to hospital and even simply milkman to make additional deliveries in the village, conversations with people. Most recently, Eccleshall weekly fruit and veg orders for the whole parish, a Cares have been marshals at the drive-through weekly order from the butchers, weekly vaccination clinic, Joe’s team have organised the and daily newspaper delivery among other things. volunteers, ensured payments for expenses, and kept The group have supported 872 community requests people within the fabric of our community. As of mid- during this time. September, over 930 jobs have been completed for the local community.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 16 Dr Anne Andrews Debbie Green Nominated by Jill Davies Debbie Green Supporting

Dr Anne Andrews lived in the Parish of Tixall for over the Community half a century. In that time, while working in academia Nominated by Eileen Jordan and caring for her family, she became an integral part of village life; the cog around which the life of the Debbie has been supporting communities for 15 years community revolved. For over 42 years she had been in her role with Tesco as a community champion, a Parish Councillor and unpaid Clerk to the Council. supporting community organisations and groups at She worked tirelessly for the local community and the Stafford Tesco Branch. She ensures many oversaw the transition from Parish meeting to Parish organisations receive free food and non food items Council in 1979. Anne’s eye for detail and ability to from the Tesco superstore that will be useful to their plan ahead, has ensured that the Parish Council specific organisation. The green impact this has on remained a dynamic and effective organisation our local environment is amazing, as she saves tonnes working for the benefit of the local area and its of items from being thrown away every year and residents. redistributes perfectly good new items to struggling Stafford residents through local charities and groups. Georgia Burge Young Heroes Nominated by Councillor Ann Edgeller and Councillor Marnie Phillips

Georgia is only six years old and is already a veteran in the Stafford litter picking circle! As well as clearing up the streets in her area, Georgia has also made face masks to raise money for the PTFA at Leasowes school for the benefit of all of the children there. Georgia wants to help other children and the community within Baswich with her efforts. Her work shows other children of her age group what doing community work can achieve if you put the effort in.

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 17 Barlaston Community Action Group

Mai Al-Khaldi

Silkmore Community Group Sewing for our NHS Group

Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 18 Stafford Borough Council | Community Awards | 2020 19