Winners of the Craven Community Champion Awards 2013 were revealed at a prize evening at The Coniston Hotel on Thursday.

The awards ceremony paid accolade to some amazing people who help to make the district a great place to live.

The evening was an excellent occasion and a chance for everyone who was nominated for an award to celebrate.

Organised by Craven District Council in association with the Craven Herald, the night was sponsored by Cirteq, with the Coniston Hotel giving the room for free.

Chairman of Craven District Council Councillor Donny Whaites said: “The awards highlighted just how many exceptional people live in Craven and the tremendous contribution they make to Craven’s communities.

“It is very important to say thank you to these people and to thank all our sponsors, there generous support means that we have been able to hold the event at no cost to the taxpayers of Craven.”

Craven Herald editor Matt Cornish said: “It was a great night, and good to see so many people turn up to support the event. It’s important to show our appreciation to those selfless people who make a real difference to our communities.”

Managing director of Cirteq Angus Meikle said: “For the second year running Cirteq are once again pleased to have been the main sponsor the Community Champion Awards.

“The awards are a brilliant opportunity to thank Craven’s communities for all the amazing work they do and know that they are appreciated by their community.”

Community Group of the Year

Yorkshire Housing Computing Club
Sponsored by Broughton Hall Estate

Many older people who have not grown up in today’s digital age often feel overwhelmed. More and more information and services are primarily available online.

Many do not know where to begin with computers and suffer isolation, loneliness, depression and can feel there quality of life is diminished as a result. The computer club has been set up to enable older people to familiarise themselves with a laptop computer and be supported to develop an understanding in areas that interest them, such as emailing, internet shopping and Skyping.

The clubs are run by volunteers who travel over fifty miles each week to commit to the clubs.

Art and Culture Award

Joan Murray
Sponsored by Peel Entertainment

Teaching further and higher education in Fashion and Clothing, Joan Murray has developed inspirational projects and made exciting industrial and voluntary community links for her students.

This has been vital in encouraging new thinking in her students to bring about outstanding exhibitions and final shows. One example of this is the annual Craven College Fashion Show which inspires wide-ranging participation and creative opportunity for the Craven community.

Joan is inspired by the needs and progress of her design students, and keen volunteers. When Russell Marsh, International Casting Director for Prada attended the 2012 fashion show, he commented that Joan’s students were “very lucky to have you [Joan] as their mentor. I came back to London feeling totally invigorated and inspired.”

Joan has also presented high-energy events and attractive exhibitions in Skipton’s ‘Oxfam’ and ‘Birdcage’, charity shops building strong links with the community, inspiring confidence in sharing and learning at all ages while bringing support, both financial and practical.

This has also been demonstrated by events at Christ Church, the Plaza Cinema and Skipton Castle.

Best Community Project

Jubilee Gardens, Skipton in Bloom
Sponsored by Angus Fire

The Diamond Jubilee Community Garden is a project initiated by Skipton in Bloom to celebrate the 60 years' reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

The garden, situated on Petyt Grove in Skipton, was designed and planted by staff and students of the horticultural unit at Craven College and funded by numerous benefactors.
Roses dominate the planting scheme, with Queen Elizabeth and Diamond Jubilee roses taking centre stage.

Several special commissioned obelisks add height and provide support for climbing roses.
Five contemporary borders surround the central bed to acknowledge that 2012 was also an Olympic year. These beds are colour-themed to represent the five interlocking Olympic rings. Several of these were chosen because of their appropriateness to the project – Olympic Spirit, Olympic Flame, Diamond Days Forever, Silver Jubilee and Royal Williams.

The garden is constantly in use by passers-by, workers taking their lunch, families and visitors.
The work to maintain the garden continues with Craven college staff, Skipton Dreamscheme, volunteers and passers-by who all help to maintain the garden to an immaculate standard.

The garden has been a true collaboration of townsfolk, businesses, students, young children, volunteers and well-wishers. The garden reflects the community spirit within the town.

Volunteer of the Year and Citizen of the Year

Jean Baker

Volunteer of the Year sponsored by Yorkshire Housing
Citizen of the Year sponsored by Craven Community Safety Partnership

Jean was an inspirational and hardworking volunteer for Age UK in Settle who put others and her community first all her life.

Her application for this award was submitted with over eighty signatures of support from members of the community who all wanted to nominate her. This is testament to Jean’s dedication and devotion to her community.

Before Jean retired she was a district nurse for many years and she also volunteered at Settle Parish Church for over 15 years. Over 20 years ago, Jean was instrumental in setting up Age UK in Settle and volunteered two to three days a week ever since.  She was one of the faces behind the till on a Saturday morning for as long as anyone can remember.

Jean was 90-years-old when she was nominated for Volunteer of the Year and still carried out her role while battling cancer. Despite having chemotherapy treatment, the only days she missed at Age UK or the Church was when she had been desperately ill with her treatment or actually in hospital. Jean has been an inspiration to all volunteers at Age UK.

Jean’s volunteering at church fetes was vast. She helped out at coffee mornings, ran book stalls and washed up at the lunch club.  She was also a prolific baker for all the fetes and coffee mornings and always volunteered herself and her husband, Toby to help out at any event that was held at the Church.

On top of her work at Settle Parish Church, Jean also volunteered at Stainforth Church and she was hugely involved with the Mothers Union.

Jean was an inspirational and selfless woman who even in poor health battled on to help others. Her community really wanted her to know how much she meant to them and therefore nominated her for this award.

Jean sadly passed away on the October 16, and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.

Young Citizen of the Year

Phoebe Robinson
Sponsored by The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate

Phoebe is the youngest-ever editor of the Cowling News, which has served the Cowling residents for 35 years and has a circulation of over a thousand copies every month.

In June this year, Phoebe took over as editor after being deputy editor for nearly two years.
Phoebe has a very professional and mature outlook and provides an important service keeping villagers informed about local matters even if they haven't got the internet or are isolated in their own homes.

She has breathed new life into the Cowling News and is getting young people involved by publishing colouring competitions and articles of local interest, as well as organising displays at the local Gala.
Phoebe also keeps a keen eye on the editing and compiling process and liaises with the other team members, aware of her responsibilities as editor.

Phoebe gives many hours of her time every month freely to this project and in doing so contributes to the cohesion and well-being of the Cowling community.

Best Green/Environmental Initiative

Gawflatt Meadown, Skipton Civic Society
Sponsored by Craven District Council

Gawflat Conservation Meadow, in Aireville Park, has remained almost the same for at least 300 years.
Skipton Civic Society has managed the meadow since 1993. To mark Queen Elizabeth ll’s Diamond Jubilee Year, the group decided to raise the profile of the meadow.

They applied for and planted free saplings from the Woodland Trust to fill in around the field boundaries and installed interpretation boards at the entrances to the meadow. 

One of the small saplings was a Royal Oak, grown from an acorn from the Royal Estates.

As a result of the Diamond Jubilee work, Gawflat Meadow was designated a Queen’s Field in Trust, protected from development in perpetuity, and has a plaque to show this, mounted at the edge of the meadow.

The Sports Award

Jim Lockyer
Sponsored by Principle Healthcare International

Jim is a talented and committed coach who encourages all ages and abilities to participate and enjoy fencing.

He is one of the founders and club leader of Skipton Fencing Club (SFC) which meets every week throughout the year, with 45 to 65 adults and children fencing together in St Andrews Church Hall.
Amongst the midst of eager new fencers he has cultivated a wealth of talent and rising stars, including Lucy Belle Williamson who won a bronze medal in the under 10 category at the British Fencing Youth Championship in June.

It is not uncommon to see Great Britain representatives fencing alongside younger fencers.
Jim said the ethos of the club has been to provide a service which is as open and inexpensive as possible.

He added: “We try to create a friendly atmosphere which is accessible to young people and parents – everyone is included, which makes them want to stay.

“It is a complex sport but it’s also very rewarding. I was hopeless at all other sports and there was just something about fencing that appealed to me.”