NOMINATIONS have opened in Peasedown St John for a community award that honours and recognises the village’s local unsung heroes.

Founded by the Peasedown Community Trust, the Peasedown St John Community Civic Award was launched in 2021.

Trust Chairman, Cllr Gavin Heathcote, said: “Peasedown St John is a fantastic place to live. Its community spirit is second to none thanks to the hard work and dedication of many people who go ‘above and beyond’ to serve others.

“In 2021, Peasedown Community Trust launched the brand-new Community Civic Award – an award that highlights and applauds the outstanding voluntary service of an individual (or group of individuals) in our village.”

Previous winners of the award are Katie Chun, Manager of the Hive Community Centre (2021), David and Maureen Byrne, community stalwarts based at St Joseph’s Catholic Church (2022) and Jennifer Calignano, community activist who has been keeping the village clean for 20 years (2023).

To be nominated for the Award, candidates must meet all three of the following criteria; they have shown a visible display of community activism in Peasedown St John for at least two years, they have carried out their public service and in doing so demonstrated qualities of leadership, consensus building and support for others, or they have demonstrated a considerable amount of community activism that has made a difference to other members of the local community

Nominations for the 2024 Peasedown St John Community Civic Award are now open and the winner will be announced at the village’s Party in the Park Festival on Saturday, June 8.

Cllr Karen Walker helped set up the Party in the Park festival in 2008, and recently announced, along with other organisers, that they would be giving away another £500 this year. Much like the Peasedown St John Community Civic Award, the Party in the Park Grant Fund recognises the value of community and reinvests back into local groups in the form of small and medium-sized financial grants. Peasedown Youth Albion FC, The Hive Community Centre and Somer Valley Foodbank are just some of the previous winners.

Cllr Karen Walker (Independent, Peasedown) added: “Any member of the community can nominate anyone, an individual or organisation, that they believe meets the criteria. 

“We’re particularly keen to receive nominations that highlight the work of people who have gone ‘above and beyond’ to make a difference in the lives of others.”

Nomination forms can be obtained from the Peasedown Community Trust by emailing [email protected]

For more details about Peasedown Community Trust, visit www.facebook.com/PeasedownCommunityTrust