Winners & Finalists 2020 

Thank you to all those who nominated in the 2020 NK Community Champion awards. It is great to see so many people tirelessly volunteering within our communities, stepping up to help others both in the face of coronavirus and more broadly. 

Having had the difficult task of selecting finalists from all the nominees, we're proud to share the list of winners and finalists for 2020. 

Nominatations for 2021 are now open!

Community Spirit

Winner

Jason Snape, Witham St Hughs – what doesn’t he do? Jason has made his mark on his adopted home through spearheading play park renovations in a way that’s saved around £20,000 of public expenditure, organising and then re-thinking VE Day celebrations, setting up a Covid response group and supporting surrounding villages in this task too, identifying new ways of operating for schools and a church in lockdown and positively representing the parish council that he vice-chairs. 

Finalists

Andy Mellett Brown, Heckington – From advancing the village magazine to masterminding a twice weekly community radio station, Andy has led a team of volunteers which has worked tirelessly in carving out an undoubted lifeline to villagers in difficult times.

Ruth Sheeran, Skellingthorpe – Ruth’s charitable giving knows no bounds, organising a walk to raise money for pancreatic cancer, a pop-up tea room in aid of St Barnabas, collecting for a cause which enables dream weddings for people close to life’s end, taking hot drinks and home baking to Lincoln’s homeless and cooking for an OAP lunch; all in spite of her own health challenges.

Community Spirit – Coronavirus response group

Winner

Martin and Timberland Emergency Support – Under the leadership of Lindsay Gresham Fulton 40-plus volunteers have assisted the two villages with vital food and medicine deliveries, phone calls for the isolating and the collection of food and household items for onward donation. Assistance stretched to neighbouring villages too where there was a need, as a group of community-minded people pulled together as a team to make a positive and beneficial difference to those around them.  

Finalists

Holdingham Helpers – Formed by Robert Oates, the group quickly grew to in excess of 40 volunteers, collecting and delivering shopping and medicines, making calls and checking on the welfare of 100-plus isolating individuals in the first few weeks of the pandemic. NHS and care workers were assisted too. The group plans to provide ongoing support for the Sleaford community.

Ruskington Covid-19 Volunteers – Up to 200 volunteers rallied to Zoe Ireland’s call to support those who were isolating at home, with routes to ensure the entire village of 6,000 people was covered with the supply of groceries and prescriptions, pet care, letter-posting and chat. Zoe inspired the volunteers and united them behind a single community-aim of offering peace of mind.

Community Spirit – Individual Coronavirus response

Winner

Tracey Richardson, Osbournby – Described as a ‘beacon of light’ for inspiring community cohesion, consideration and fun from the safety of villagers’ homes, Tracey galvanised residents into activities by sharing much sought-after flour for a baking challenge, crafting aeroplane model kits and creating Where’s Wenda? and VE Day bunting-making challenges – all creating a fresh community dialogue and sense of togetherness not felt before. 

Finalists

Dale Hardy, North Hykeham – On top of leading the Sir Robert Pattinson Academy through its own lockdown challenges, Dale pioneered a response that supplied 4,000 face shields to hospitals, police, care homes, GPs and pharmacies and offered up the school kitchen for meals to the over 70s delivered in the school minibus; ensuring that no-one was left behind.

Zoe Ireland, Ruskington – Putting the community first, Zoe initiated Ruskington’s response, rallied volunteers, co-ordinated the response and has been available 24/7 in case of emergencies throughout the lockdown, in spite of her own obligations home working and home schooling. Having united volunteers as a solid group, she now plans a big party when it’s all over as she would dearly love to maintain the sense of togetherness and support created within the village.

Good Neighbour

Winner

Alan Germon, North Hykeham – Regarded as ‘worth more than a bar of gold’ Alan’s neighbourly response to everyone in his close stretches to planting wildflowers for everyone to enjoy, changing light bulbs, hammering in nails, offering envelopes, electrical advice and resolving any dilemma. He made daily trips to ensure an otherwise-stranded devout nun could make it to Mass every day for a month in the worse of weathers.

Finalists

Janice Batchelor, Ruskington – Brushing aside her own personal problems during the lockdown to ensure she could support her neighbour through a self-declared ‘dark period’, Janice’s weekly shopping, prescription collection, dog walking and general cheerful disposition from day one in support of her clinically extremely vulnerable neighbours saw them through some very difficult times.

Lizzy Truman, Great Hale – Welcoming her neighbours immediately on arrival, Lizzy is always happy and willing to help which lifts everyone’s spirts. Her instinct on the first night of lockdown was to drop a note round to everyone’s house which led to her shopping, cutting lawns, walking dogs and generally caring for all the elderly close-by. She’s described as ‘a real angel’.

Contribution to a Better Environment

Winner

Tomas Dickson, North Hykeham – Litter picking throughout North and South Hykeham, active with the River Witham Rivercare groups, Freshwater Watch, Hykeham in Bloom, Sleaford Navigation Trust and Lincs Wildlife and Rivers trusts, Tomas surveys the extent of Himalayan Balsam, plants trees, seeds wildflowers, builds bug hotels, monitors river-flies and tests water quality within his many wide-ranging environmentally-minded actions. 

Finalists

Carol Hubbard, Ruskington – Out in all weathers armed with litter picker and black bags, Carol is reckoned to have personally removed a skip’s worth of rubbish locally with a year. Her environmental conscience stretches to lobbying supermarkets about plastic packaging, removing and leaving it at the checkout and withstanding the remonstrations of irate store managers. Wherever she can she’ll offer lifts to ensure most environmentally efficient outcomes.

Nancy Baker, North Hykeham – For a couple of years, ten-year-old Nancy has patrolled parts of North Hykeham with her litter picker to hand, posting on Twitter as No Litter Nancy to raise awareness of the problem and inspire greater respect and responsibility. She’s passionate about the environment and made little videos about litter and climate change, quietly beavering away and receiving the community’s appreciation.

Contribution to Arts & Culture

Winner

Mrs Smith’s Cottage Volunteers, Navenby – Absolutely critical to the realisation of the restoration and re-opening of the historic cottage as a museum, the 12 dedicated volunteers spanning a vast age range are the lifeblood behind the visitor experience, having invested around 500 hours from January to August in readiness to open and continuing through front of house, events, earning, archiving, gardening and other essential functions.

Finalists

Lee Rooke, Sleaford – Organist and director of music at St Denys’ Church, Lee’s contribution extends beyond the weekly services to the arrangement of special and spectacular events intended for this year. Having assembled a virtual choir in response to lockdown, he has invested great skill and time compiling a four-part accompaniment to the vicar’s YouTube services.

Norton Disney History & Archaeology Group – Researching, unearthing and exhibiting aspects of the locality’s important Iron Age and Roman archaeology, the group has uncovered previously undiscovered information about the area, unlocking it for the local community and national record and providing great enjoyment for group members along the way. 

Contribution to Community Safety

Winner

Andy Marchant, Branston – Having invested time, skill and know-how in pioneering the village’s established Emergency Plan group and initiatives of broader crime-busting community safety, it was a natural step for Andy (stranded abroad when lockdown began) to make it home and immediately instigate the village’s Covid response from quarantine. Volunteer numbers soared over 300, a food bank was set up that supported a broader spread of communities and 100-plus people were offered regular ongoing help. By having a plan and volunteers in place, he ensured that when the unthinkable happened, Branston was prepared and poised to respond. 

Contribution to Health & Wellbeing 

Winner

Rainbow Stars, Sleaford – Set up as a support group primarily for parents and carers of children with autism, Aspergers Syndrome and ADHD, the five-year-old group has recently expanded its offer with an open-to-all hub offering a safe and supportive space helping 1,500 families. Free, committed and caring, the support network is a social lifeline which offered food parcels and even Father’s Day presents during lockdown on top of the regular trips, courses, meetings and playdates.

Finalists

Food Voucher Scheme, Branston – Three years ago five villagers came together to address a social issue affecting vulnerable children to ensure they are well-fed in school holidays. Through tireless fundraising they were able to support 43 children initially, growing to 53 and extending to summer, Easter, Christmas and half term holidays. Instinctively, the committee pioneered a specific local response which means the vouchers are of greater use to recipients, eligible for school uniforms and in a village store.

Karen Melville, Helpringham – Aligned with a national drive to provide essential supplies into the NHS for Covid-care, Karen co-ordinated the North Kesteven response to the For the Love of Scrubs initiative, which saw scores of local sewers rustle up PPE from donated or self-source fabric; marshalling skills, expertise and materials as a contribution to the national effort.

Contribution to Sport 

Winner

Samantha Elmsley, Sleaford – gymnastics coach Sammi hasn’t let lockdown get in the way of her passion to support young gymnasts, lending equipment to use at home, giving free online Zoom coaching twice weekly and checking in on and sending cheery cards to all. She always gives of her time freely, devoting entire weekends to get them to far-off competitions, extending her pastoral care beyond the discipline of gymnastics and inspiring charity fundraisers through teamwork.

Finalists

Angela Pettit, Bracebridge Heath – For over 45 years Angela has been involved in all aspects of swimming, life-saving, teaching, examining and organising, 40 of them with the Lincoln Asthma Swimming Group she set up. A life member of the Royal Life Saving Society and branch chair, she organises the weekly Saturday group sessions that have seen many hundreds of children become confident swimmers and scores go on to teach themselves; benefiting countless people.

Graham Park, Heckington – Inspiring young players and new coaches through Sleaford Town Juniors FC for more than 12 years, setting up the Mini Greens for four to five year olds and a Coaches for Tomorrow programme to motivate teenagers, Graham organised and coached football, fundraised for training equipment and sourced grants so all coaches had coats for cold days. Now with another club, he continues to offer help and advice, leaving an ongoing legacy of encouragement.

Community Business 

Winner

Greens Stores, Bassingham – At the heart of the village’s Covid response, owners Tracey and Michael have gone above and beyond their normal village-focused activities to ensure everyone is well provided for, setting up free home deliveries and a new payment system, extending opening hours, running the Post Office seven days a week, ensuring fresh essentials are available and generally offering encouragement, calls, chat, a listening ear and a friendly face.

Finalists

Manor Farm Shop, Leasingham – A well-regarded village shop that has excelled under Gill and Debbie Burton’s lead to provide food for the village and beyond and offer broader support; working with the village pub on hot meal delivery in a natural extension to regular activity providing for village events, delivering food and looking out for customers year-round.

Salted Orange, North Hykeham – As soon as crisis hit, owner Sam looked at how he could use the business to help the community; his onsite distillery made hand sanitiser given freely to schools care homes and healthcare settings, he distilled a gin in support of AgeUK and set up an at-cost hot meal delivery of three daily meals, seven days a week for £20 to anyone over 65 which catered for 110,000 people in the first 87 days covering, in partnership, 17,000 miles to reach all corners of the county.

Longstanding Contribution to a Group or Organisation

Winner

Angela Pettit, Bracebridge Heath -  Swimming organiser of the Lincoln Asthma Swimming Group which she was instrumental in founding in 1981, Angela has taught many hundreds of young people skills for life, inspiring many to go on to teach themselves. A teacher by profession and a keen swimmer she has combined her passions to life-saving effect weekly over 40 years, enhancing the confidence and wellbeing of many.

Finalists

Andrew Ingham, Heckington – Over 14 years from case worker to regional representative, Andy has made a fundamental difference to the outcomes and financial fortunes of veterans as a member of the Armed Forces charity SSAFA. Continuing as a case worker throughout, whilst divisional treasurer and secretary, county chairman and regional voice, he has raised £111,000 to meet the needs of 120 clients.

Delphine Norton, Ruskington – Involved in the support of Scouting for 29 years, as a Scout Leader in Holland, Germany, Wales and locally, her determination not to see children miss out on Scouting saw her run both Ruskington’s cubs and beavers packs and train future junior leaders. Although she hates camping, she pitches her tent two or three times annually to ensure others can enjoy the experience and in lockdown made up packs that lead to 120-plus cubs earning badges from home.

Additionally, there were also these nominations:

Contribution to a Better Environment

Cara Sandy, Sleaford

Colin, Bracebridge Heath

Jackie Maddox, Aubourn

Mother Nature Heath & Herbal, Sleaford

Kirsten Mosley

Community Business

WB Wilsons Newsagents, Sleaford

Selenity, Lincoln

Community Spirit

Alison Butler, Welbourn

Andrew Vaughan, North Hykeham

Andy and Ginny Bednell, Sleaford

Branston & Mere Volunteer Group

Claire Dillon-Shallard, North Hykeham

Colin Campbell, Eagle

Fran Carlsen, Washingborough

Hilary Proctor, Leadenham

Jenne Pape, Waddington

John Fry, Digby

Lincs Emergency Medical Response, RAF Waddington

Louise, Heckington

Linda Gibson, Great Hale

Mary Bond, Sleaford

Rev Godber, Navenby

Susan Manders, Bracebridge Heath

Good Neighbour

Andy Marchant, Branston

Graham Peck, Washingborough

Kelly-Anne Butler and Simon Weston, Sleaford

Peter and Rosie Cullen, Lincoln

Sarah Inal, Ruskington

Contribution to Heath & Wellbeing

Alison Butler, Welbourn

Andy Marchant, Branston

Diana Speight, Metheringham

Lincs Emergency Medical Response, RAF Waddington

Sally Butler, Sleaford

Wendy Jones, Sleaford

Tom Oakley, Sleaford

Longstanding contribution to a group or organisation

Bill Carter, Harmston

Malcolm Biddulph, North Hykeham

Sleaford Classic Car & Motorcycle Show

Young Achiever

Finn Matthews, Sleaford

Holly Pellatt, Metheringham