Community Awards 2020
Community Hero award
Peter White (Faringdon Folly Star)
Peter is responsible for the start on the Folly tower the star is beloved as a beacon leading the town’s residents’ home and as comfort lightening the darkest part of winter. Children love it and look out for it. It is a fulcrum around which our community gathers. It makes the Folly part of our lives even when it cannot be seen in the dark, and it is part of what makes Faringdon a special place in which to raise a child, a place with a sense of identity.
Group Award
Faringdon Fire and Rescue Service
The fire service in Faringdon is manned by retained firefighters. They have full time jobs and are also on call, responding day or night to emergencies. We are very lucky to have these community minded people living in our town.
Business Awards
Stay Grounded
Stay Grounded is very much at the heart of the community in Faringdon. It isn’t just about good coffee and cake (and it really IS good) Jane has lovingly crafted a business around a sound ethical and sustainable ethos. Stay Grounded will also help you do you bit to save the planet by refilling your washing up liquid, topping up on dry foods (package free) or buying fresh bread and pasties baked in shop. That is why we love Jane and the Stay Grounded family and would like to see them win an award for all they do often unknowingly for the community in Faringdon.
Pat Thomas
Pat Thomas butchers personal and prompt service is second to none. Large or small purchase are treated with the same respect and attention to detail. In the community it supports Ferendune, local schools fundraising, local Scouts groups, Faringdon Football Club, and Sunshine Cats.
Community Volunteer Award
Mairead Boyce
(Faringdon Food Bank)For setting up and running the food bank in Faringdon, which is a valuable service for those in the community in need.
Environmental Champion Award
Matthew Adcock (Bird Box Fundraiser for Australian Wildlife, WIRES)
Matthew (12 years old) watched the fires in Australia and wanted to help the animals affected by this environmental disaster, so decided to make bird boxes to raise money for the Australian charity WIRES. With generous donations from local businesses of wood and materials he has produced over 150 bird boxes raising over £1800 for the charity. So many young people get bad press, this young man is a role model of determination, kindness and action.
Community Awards 2020 Nominees
Community Hero award
Clare Dash and John Blade (Faringdon Ladies Run Group)
Clare and John formed the group over two years ago. The group has gone from strength to strength providing a welcoming run group for all abilities. It regularly has over 20 ladies each week, most of whom then meet for coffee afterwards. Not just a run group!
Amy Carter (various community initiatives)
Amy Carter helps in various community projects including a new Children’s clothes swap shop initiative, Faringdon Rotary and the 2019 YoCo project.
Wendy Tynan (Coach Lane Cemetery)
Wendy works tirelessly to maintain the Cemetery grounds, in all weathers and often late into the evening, clearing the ground, pruning, replanting and sorting the bins. Certainly, she goes above and beyond her volunteering duties and does so with modest grace.
Al Cane (Faringdon Buskers)
Al has always had an interest in promoting Faringdon, Tuesday market, Saturday market and busking in Faringdon to name just a few. His music and the buskers that he brings to town gives the market square a lovely atmosphere.
Jane Hulse (First Faringdon Scouts)
Jane has made an incredible and immeasurable difference to young people in and around Faringdon, going above and beyond all expectations of her volunteer role to ensure 1st Faringdon Scouts deliver a brilliant and engaging programme of activities and opportunities for all. Jane’s hard work, support and passion for 1st Faringdon Scouts is utterly inspirational, not only to her friends and colleagues within the Group but to parents, carers and young people alike.
David Jones (British Heart Foundation)
David took on the role of chairman of the local branch of the British Heart Foundation. His first aim was to organise a market stall, fortnightly, in the market square, and to coincide with the monthly Farmer’s Market. He sells bric-a-brac, books, preserves and anything else! His aim as well as raising money for the B.H.F. was to make the awareness of heart research, and he raised £975 in the first year. His effort is worth a community service award.
Dawn Pulker (various community projects)
Dawn has been nominated for various community projects and her updates and information about Lloyds mobile bank.
Caroline Murphy (Elms Tennis Court)
Caroline has run the Elms Tennis Court for the benefit of people in and around Faringdon who wish to play tennis on a casual basis. As Faringdon gets more populated with houses it is good to see that we can keep our ‘open spaces’ for the general health and well-being of the residents.
Group Award
Faringdon Ladies Run Group
This group had gone from strength to strength providing a welcoming running group for all abilities. It regularly has over twenty ladies every week, most of whom meet for coffee afterwards. Not just a run group!
Farcycles
Farcycles have provided Faringdon the Faringdon cycle park. They instruct cycling in local schools and provide free instruction at the cycle park for children and adults.
Pump House Project
The Pump House Project is a splendid community facility, which hosts a variety of groups and clubs throughout the week.
U3A
Wonderful work covering a wide spectrum of ongoing educational subjects.
Faringdon Peace Group
Faringdon Peace Group, active since 1981 promoting peace, organising meetings, holding hustings and fetes.
Folly Fest Committee
Folly Fest has run nearly every year since 2002 in the last week of July. The basic concept of the festival “a festival by the people of Faringdon, for the people of Faringdon” remains firmly in place. It is free to enter, with an emphasis on local music, artistic talent and business offerings, aimed at a complete range of age and ability groups. Over recent years the festival has made efforts to develop activities beyond the live music played on two stages, and work closely with the Pump House Project, the Piano Shop, local drama society and choirs, local businesses, local clubs and churches to produce an event very particular to Faringdon.
Faringdon Food Bank
The Faringdon Food Bank provides free emergency food for those in the community in need. It is run by the Churches Together and staffed by volunteers. Food items are donated by the local community.
Little All Sorts (Baby and Toddler group)
This is an incredibly popular group with over 50 adults and children now attending each Monday morning during term time, a great resource for parents and carers. There are lots of toys to play with in a bright and cheerful large room, craft activities, songs and a bible story each session and very friendly helpers to chat to parents and carers. Its also a flexible session so it doesn’t matter if you can only come for part of the time. Tea coffee drinks and snacks are also available. It has proved to be a good way for newcomers to Faringdon to meet others and make friends with the extensive programme of new homes being built around the town.
Business Awards
Faringdon Cars
This Taxi service based in Faringdon is run by Mohammed Yacub, and his sons. The drivers and office staff go out of their way to be helpful, often beyond the call of service, helping to carry shopping for customers with limited mobility. All the drivers are valuable sources of information about the local area. They also provide a service to the local Education Authority, supplying cars to take children to and from their schools.
Faringdon Coffee House
Faringdon Coffee House is a lovely place to meet, eat and chat! Excellent service, coffee, cakes and food with a friendly atmosphere. It also adds a taste of Indonesia to the community.
Perry Bishop
Perry Bishop has been nominated for supporting community events with sponsorship. They provide a helpful and informative regular blog called “about town”.
The Angel Business Centre
The Angel Business Centre has been nominated for the community lunch chat meetings they run, and the use of the Portwell cellar for a popup charity bookshop.
Faringdon Nails
Saving many people time and travel to have their nails done in Faringdon.
Sheffords (Lillian’s Bakery)
Lillian has worked tirelessly for 50 years in the shop providing delicious cakes and bread for the community. Always a great service.
Community Volunteer Award
Johnny Curtis (Country Market)
For volunteering each week at the country market. Johnny always greets visitors to the market with a friendly smile and is very helpful.
Mustard Seed Shop volunteers
The Mustard Seed promotes the Christian Faith through the sale of Christian books, cards and literature and highlights the principles of Fair Trade through the sale of Fairtrade and fairly traded goods from a number of different suppliers. The Mustard seed is staffed by volunteers who have served the community for many years.
Environmental Champion Award
Jane Rennells (Stay Grounded Refill System)
Jane has taken up the mantle of plastic free shopping for members of our community. Stay Grounded will help you do you bit to save the planet by refilling your washing up liquid, topping up on dry foods (package free) or buying fresh bread and pasties baked in shop.
Farcycles
This group with over 200 members promotes cycling for all abilities in and around Faringdon. Farcycles have provided Faringdon the Faringdon cycle park. They instruct cycling in local schools and provide free instruction at the cycle park for children and adults.
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