This Valentine’s Day we’re delighted to be sharing the love with our customers and communities as we announce the winners in our first ever Heart of the Community awards!
We received nominations from across Greater Manchester highlighting the amazing work that goes on in our neighbourhoods across the region.
From good neighbours looking out for those living next door, to community groups and eco-champions doing wonderful things to make their area a great place to live, the entries we received were truly awe-inspiring.
A huge thank you to customers and residents who took the time to put someone forward. We entered everyone who made a nomination into a prize draw and are pleased to announce Rachel who nominated St Mary's Food Bank in Haughton Green for Community Group of the Year as the winner of £100 in shopping vouchers.
Drum roll please…
Following a tough short-listing process, we’re now excited to share our worthy winners.
They are:
Bloomin’ Marvellous Award – Roger Snowden, who works tirelessly to keep the Sale West estate clean, green and flowering with nature.
Good Neighbour Award – Mehmooda and Iqbal Patel, who care so much about everyone on their Bolton cul-de-sac, and show their love through delicious deliveries of home-cooked food.
Community Champion – Cathy Newton, who leads and inspires a devoted band of volunteers in the Forever Green community group in Haughton Green, organising everything from life-saving defibrillators to Christmas afternoon tea.
Inspirational Person - Rayne Wallwork-Hough, aged 10, whose passion and commitment to keeping his community clean and tidy is an exceptional example to everyone.
Community Group – the Castle Community Centre CIC in Patricroft, who have created a welcoming home from home for the people of Eccles, giving them a cosy space and diverse activities programme to enjoy in the heart of their community.
Find out more about what they do and why they were chosen in our film here – where you can also see the moment we surprised them with the news they had won!
Well done to everyone who was nominated
These are our winners, but every nomination we received had a wonderful story to tell.
Anyone who was put forward for an award should today receive a special delivery through the post containing a commemorative certificate recognising the impact they have.
We hope it’s a small token of appreciation for everything they do in their community.
Sasha Deepwell, our Chief Executive, said: “We were blown away with the entries we received in our first ever Heart of the Community awards, organised to recognise the exceptional things being done by people and projects across our neighbourhoods every single day.
“Thank you so much to everyone who made a nomination – helping us to shine the spotlight on the great work taking place and to celebrate the difference these people make to our customers and communities.
“A huge thank you too to our sponsors, whose generosity has provided a well-deserved prize for our worthy winners.”