About
High Sheriffs Awards
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire – Colin Osborne MBE – presented his Citizenship Awards at a ceremony held at The John O’Gaunt Golf Club on Tuesday, 10 March 2015 and trophies and certificates were awarded in the following categories:
- Community Groups, North and South Bedfordshire
- Young Volunteers
- Adult Volunteers, North, Central and South Bedfordshire
The High Sheriff would like to thank Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation for their support with the Citizenship Award scheme and on the evening.
Category: Adult Central
Award: Certificate
Name: Den Fensome
Sentence: Den volunteers tirelessly for the good of others in the community, always with the aim of including and engaging as many as possible. Amongst the groups he volunteers for are: ROAR, Healthwatch, Just Ask, the Credit Union, the Clifton resident’s Assoc & more.
Category: Adult Central
Award: Certificate
Name: Andrew Woods
Sentence: The Group Scout Leader of the 1st Sandy Scout group (one of the largest in Beds) for many years. He covers all levels of scouting and age groups form youngsters up to teens, regularly helping in the community and with functions in Sandy.
Category: Adult Central
Award: Certificate
Name: Colin Davies
Sentence: Upon retiring, was looking for some voluntary involvement, invited by the Chair of Beds Crimebeat (charity of the Shrievalty) to take over as Treasurer from a firm of accountants. Freely and willingly gives his time to the county with this cause.
Category: Adult Central
Award: Certificate
Name: Peter Onion
Sentence: A councillor on Northill Parish Council – has held a deep affection for sporting interests in the community. Serves currently as Chair of Beds County Football League. Has been involved also for 60 years with Ickwell Cricket club, performing as Player, Captain, Umpire, Scorer, Groundsman, Chairman and for the past 12 years, an exceedingly active President, organising many social and fundraising events. In short, Peter has made an outstanding contribution to village life.
Category: Adult Central
Award: Certificate
Name: Nicola King
Sentence: A town councillor for a number of years, with the special interest in the helping and engagement of the youngest in society. Runs several youth interest groups, both clubs and activity interests, also runs the RAVE bus which sets out to meet and attract the youngsters who are hardest to reach and contact.
Category: Adult Central
Award: Certificate
Name: Kay Fariss
Sentence: Previously employed as an American civilian on Chicksands Air Base and in retirement she has run Shefford’s neighbourhood watch for the last decade, with the sole responsibility for recruiting members and advising the public of any concerns and security issues.
Category: Adult Central
Award: Cup
Name: Paul Mackin
Sentence: Served with the Shefford retained fire service for 32 years, 10 as station officer.
Has served as Mayor of Shefford since 2000, having previously served on the town council. He is currently a trustee of Shuttleworth part time fire service, supporting both the Lower and Middle Schools of Shefford as Governor, and supporting the Aragon youth worker (nominee Nicola King). He started Open4Business which still operates as an informal chamber of trade in the community.
Category: Adult North
Award: Cup
Name: Ann Hadfield
Sentence: Ann has run Fun4YoungPeople aiming to inspire young people to discover their potential through arts and sports throughout the year. She targets under achievers and those in hardship, and encourages them to increase their confidence, to integrate and achieve more. Well known in the county, has been recognised several times, and was awarded MBE for her work.
Category: Adult East
Award: Cup
Name: Eric Jakes
Sentence: A genuine pillar of the community of Potton, elected on to the town council in 1955 at the tender age of 27, serving on said council up until 2014 just short of his Diamond Jubilee representing the community at town and district level. Also a school governor for 30 years. Made MBE for services to his community.
Category: Adult South
Award: Certificate
Name: Sahira Ward
Sentence: The prime driver behind the Incredible Edible Garden in ‘Katherine Drive Dunstable’ beginning in 2013 under the Incredible Edible Network. Mobilisng the local community to dig, plant, grow and eat edible plants. Involving local schools, Scouts, Guides and Brownies.
Category: Adult South
Award: Certificate
Name: Alan Brandham
Sentence: With his wife, has fostered children for 20 years. Ran a Badminton club. Town Mayor of Leighton Buzzard 2012/3 raising £7,500 for charities including Macmillan Cancer Care, Hospice at Home and Marie Curie amongst others. Current chair of KidsOut Charity In LB raising money for disadvantaged children.
Heavily involved in fundraising for KidsOut through the local church, obtaining toys. Governor of Cedars School previously and currently a governor of Pulfords School.
Category: Adult South
Award: Certificate
Name: Carolyn Joan Birch
Sentence: After retiring as Head of Eaton Bray Lower School, Carolyn has been treasurer to Leighton Buzzard Scout Group. She has been a Citizens Advice Bureau Advisor for several years, since the early 2000’s in LB, and has served as a school governor of Linslade Lower School. She has edited the newsletter for the University of the Third Age, served as treasurer and Chair of that group too.
Category: Adult South
Award: Certificate
Name: Zulfiqar Afsar
Sentence: Zulfqar has been well written about in the press, along with a fellow nominee, were the ultimate Samaritans when they rushed to the aid of the new vicar of St. Mary when he was trapped under a car following a Road Traffic Accident. Lifting the car off the trapped vicar to enable him to escape with only minor burns and injuries.
Category: Adult South
Award: Certificate
Name: Manny Muhammed
Sentence: The fellow Samaritan who along with Zulfiqar, lifted the car allowing the vicar to remove himself with aid from beneath the crashed car. A pair of real heroes.
Category: Adult South
Award: Cup
Name: Peter Cowan
Sentence: Peter’s CV of community work is a daunting read! His current roles include: Chair of the friends of L&D, Treasurer of Luton and Beds Youth Assoc, Treasurer of Luton Rights, serving on the management committee of Mary Seacole Housing Assoc, Member of the friends of the above, School Governor of Tennyson Road Primary. Previously Peter has been the County Treasurer of St. John Ambulance, Treasurer of Herald & Post Hospital Appeals, Governor of Luton Sixth Form, Council Member of Beds Chamber of Commerce, Member of Beds Police Authority, Treasurer of The Model Railway Club. AND MORE!
Category: Young South
Award: Cup
Name: Jack Isserlis
Sentence: Jack has achieved the chief scout’s gold award, presented in October 2014, this award is the highest scouting achievement and takes 3.5 – 4 years to attain. This entails a number of disciplines, in addition to a personal challenge. Jack is also fundraising £5000 to enable him to attend the international Scout Jamboree in Japan this year.
Category: Young North
Award: Cup
Name: Jack Howson
Sentence: Jack has also achieved the chief scout’s gold award, undertaking all challenges to achieve this hard to attain award. Jack has now temporarily left the Scouts with the aim of returning when able as a possible future scout leader
Both Jacks have fundraised for the Royal British Legion and Children with Leukaemia, freely giving up a day to play with children suffering with illness whilst their parents received counselling and training. Truly a pair of great role models.
Category: Group
Award: Certificate
Name: Royal British Legion
Sentence: The Poppy Appeal is one of the Nation’s most recognised and supported charity appeals. Every year The Royal British Legion sends out millions of poppies that are distributed to schools, shops and businesses. In this centenary year of the of the outbreak of WW1, it was entirely appropriate that they be recognised on a local level for the tireless work they do, both locally with the annual remembrance services attended by the Lord Lieutenant and her deputies, to more grand initiatives such as the moving installation at the Tower of London.
Category: Group South
Award: Trophy
Name: Alcohol Services for the Community
Sentence: ASC, represented here today by their CEO Breege Begley, are an independent agency who specialise in alcohol overuse, running since 1979, with projects across Luton and Beds. Their aim is to promote a healthier lifestyle without reliance on alcohol or other drugs.
Category: Group North
Award: Trophy
Name: Beds Games
Sentence: Bedfordshire Games, represented by committee member Vanslin Noel were set up in 1989 with the aim of providing teens and adults with significant learning difficulties and complex needs, the opportunity to take part in an annual sporting event. Taking place at Bedford International Athletic Stadium, it attracts approx. 330 competitors from various establishments from across the county. This unique event is a celebration of talent and achievement raising awareness of those in the learning disability community in the best possible way.
High Sheriff Colin Osborne MBE with his wife Diane and all the Citizenship Award winners. Group Photo by kind permission of Kam Assi, Abraxas Photography Ltd Tel: 01234 84191 Email: booking@abraxasphoto.co.uk Website: www.abraxasphoto.co.uk
County History
