Beyond The Call Of Duty Honoured By High Sheriff. This was published in the Basingstoke Observer: https://www.basingstokeobserver.co.uk/beyond-the-call-of-duty-honoured-…
THE High Sheriff of Hampshire Awards Ceremony took place on the lawn at Upham House, Southampton on the afternoon of 10th September, to honour local volunteers, organisations and public servants going beyond the call of duty in their everyday activities.
Sarah Le May and Revd Sue Colman, the High Sheriffs of Hampshire for 2019 and 2020 respectively, presented the awards to recognise the inspirational work of 57 Hampshire based individuals and organisations. Recipients were presented with a certificate thanking them for their significant contribution to society and for their role in enhancing safety and cohesion across local communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Almost 200 guests were in attendance, including Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire Nigel Atkinson, the High Sheriff of Hampshire 2021-2022 Phillip Sykes, MP for the Meon Valley Flick Drummond and Chief Fire Officer for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Neil Odin.
Olivia Pinkney, Chief Constable of Hampshire began the awards by giving a speech on law and order across Hampshire, where she commended local communities for coming together to help people in need during the Covid-19 crisis.
Sarah Le May, High Sheriff of Hampshire 2019 said “We were delighted finally to be able to hold the High Sheriff Awards Ceremony, following the long disruption that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused. During my year in office it was truly inspiring to see first-hand the outstanding and meaningful work carried out by these unsung heroes to help those less fortunate across our county and it is a pleasure to be able to offer special recognition for their hard work and achievements in keeping our communities safe and thriving.”
Revd Sue Colman, High Sheriff of Hampshire 2020 added, “Many of the awards made in 2020 reflect the creative and innovative ways that the challenges caused by Covid-19 were met, with local individuals and organisations stepping in to provide emergency services for those in need, with many helping vulnerable people affected by lockdown. These awards showcase the compassionate culture that is alive in Hampshire communities and it was a pleasure to be able to finally meet and thank the recipients in person for all of their hard work during these very difficult and extraordinary times.”
A wide range of individuals and groups received special recognition for their work at the event, including: Basingstoke Fire Station Crews for supporting the Covid-19 vaccination programme; Camrose Centre for their work with homeless people; The Safe staff and volunteers for their work with vulnerable families; Home Start North West Hampshire staff and volunteers for their work with vulnerable families; YMCA Fairthorne Group for work with vulnerable young people in Basingstoke.
Individuals recognised include Ayliffe Taylor of The Safe along with Paul Reddish and Keith Jones from Basingstoke Fire Station.
The High Sheriff of Hampshire partners with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) to administer the Community Awards each year and Jacqui Scott, HIWCF Chief Executive said: “We are absolutely delighted to support the High Sheriff Awards, which uphold the values implemented by the Foundation across local communities, particularly those which value and protect the most vulnerable. I would like to congratulate each of the recipients for their inspiring work and for their dedication in making Hampshire a better and safer place to live, as our communities begin to tentatively return to some sense of normality following the last 18 months of turmoil”.
