The Pride of Essex Awards 2013
Songwriter
and musician Rick Wakeman helped nominees take pride of place at the Pride of
Essex Awards along with former X Factor contestant Sam Callahan presenting awards to Child of Courage Nominees.
The Directa
UK Ultimate Pride of Essex Award which was presented by our Senior Director Martin Storey went to J’s Hospice founder Denise Whiffin.
She formed the hospice to care specifically for young adults who had outgrown
children's hospices, in memory of her son.
She was
among 20 award nominees from Chelmsford, Colchester, Feering, Manningtree,
Braintree, Grays, Clacton and Thaxted selected from dozens of entries from
across the county at the prestigious ceremony at Anglia Ruskin University in
Chelmsford.
The
awards recognise courage, determination, outstanding achievement often in the
face of adversity, exceptional care in the community and fundraising.
Other top awards were: the Potters Resort Community Champion, which
recognises and rewards outstanding achievement or
fundraising within the community went to the Friends of Katie who have
raised £69,000 for Little Havens Hospice: the Blue Strawberry Unsung Hero, to
Ray Clements, 82, for exceptional care in the community by an individual for
his outstanding work with Hearing Help Essex and the Susie Cornell Child of
Courage, which recognises and the achievement of
deserving children who overcome adversity, went to Martin Bennett, 13, from
Colchester who has spinal muscular atrophy. Special awards were given to the
Maldon Mud Race organisers and Chelmsford Town Crier Tony Appleton.
The awards
were first started 20 years ago, inspired by multiple sclerosis champion Susie
Cornell and re-launched as the Pride of Essex Awards in 2012.
In the Ultimate Pride of Essex category those highly
commended were: Crystal Roberts from Colchester who was involved in a car accident in August when her youngest
daughter Diamond, aged 9 months was killed but despite the trauma and loss,
found time to raise money for Addenbrookes Hospital and Essex Air Ambulance;
the Lambert family of Beverley, John, son Richard and his partner Nicola, and
youngest son Dean, 7, who have all overcome many difficulties and obstacles;
Amanda Simmons from Thaxted, who helped revive the Atlantis Swimming Club in
Dunmow and Caroline Shearer from Clacton who launched the Only Cowards Carry
campaign against knife crime following the death of her son.
Highly
commended in the Community Champions category were: Billericay Round Table for
exceptional fund raising; Essex Chapter Harley Riders who have raised funds for
charities for 20 years and Ken and Claire Winberg who raised more than £85,000
for Chigwell riding Trust.
In the
Unsung Hero award, those highly commended were: Stan Davies from Braintree,
chairman of the Friends of Flitch way; Louise Thain from Cressing for her work with special needs
children and other voluntary work with young people; Mark Dale from Grays for
his work to improve the lives of those affected by physical and mental
disability and Mary Green, who has given 39 years of voluntary service to Acorn
Village, a residential setting in Mistley, Manningtree where sixty-three adults
with learning disabilities live.
Highly
commended in the Child of Courage category were: Christopher Pagan from Thundersley who lost mobility,
speech and partial hearing but overcame his disabilities; Annie Wheate, 14, from South Woodham Ferrers. who has a
form of cerebral palsy, which affects her ability to walk but who now attends
dance classes despite discomfort and pain; Fabien Holmes, 9, from Dagenham who
has cerebral palsy but who has overcome many of his disabilities and Isabelle
Harris from Feering diagnosed with quadriplegia cerebral palsy soon after birth
but who is described as a true fighter.