Awards accolades for?town’s finest citizens

A packed Town Hall saw 16 awards handed out in an expanded ceremony this year, organised jointly by Sleaford Town Council and the Sleaford Standard.

Compere for the evening was Mayor of Sleaford, Coun Grenville Jackson who said it was great to see so many people attending.

He said: “The thing about the awards is it is the people’s choice, because all those who receive an award were originally nominated by the readers of the Sleaford Standard where there have been reports about what the awards are all about.”

He felt the evening had gone very well with everyone thoroughly deserving their awards. These were for business of the year - Lunettes opticians, employer of the year - Sleaford Quality Foods, teacher of the year - Bronwyn Fleming of Kesteven and Sleaford High School, customer service - Watergate Yard, best sports club - Sleaford Kuk Sool Won martial arts school, coach - netballer Mandy Hall (a posthumous award), junior sports individual - golfer Michael Baines, charity - Sleaford Dementia Support, medical practitioner - Dr Kesavapillai Vijayan of Millview Medical Centre, carer - Ashdene Care Home, overcoming adversity - Keira Beeson, community - Doug and Jean Cornford, environmental - Sleaford Be Litter Free group, the Young Sleafordian of the Year - Charlotte Gibb, and Sleafordian of the Year - David Marriage.

The audience of sponsors, winners and their guests were spellbound by the acapella vocal quartet, Jinx, made up of four Year 10 students from Kesteven and Sleaford High School who performed three songs in a musical interlude.

Each of the award-winners in turn were invited to chat about their achievements and the work they do, and a highlight was teenager Keira Beeson, a sufferer of ulcerative colitis, who has raised funds and awareness for the condition but was hospitalised for four months recently after an operation. She has battled back to school and when asked about her ambitions, simply said: “To be well and happy.”

Maybe the highest profile award of the evening at Sleaford Town Awards, was the Sleafordian of the Year, which went to David Marriage.

David has plunged into making Sleaford a more interesting place, improving the church and Alms Houses, the museum, leading the renovation of the Market Place water fountain and working on plans to attract more people to visit Sleaford Castle.

He said: “I have found there are lots of teams of people around Sleaford that can come together, might need a little bit of glue to get them going, but there is an awful lot of goodwill. It is a jolly good place to live.”

Young Sleafordian of the Year went to Charlotte Gibbs for her work with the Interact Club at Kesteven and Sleaford High School, organising a Christmas meal and visits for senior citizens and writing cards to sick children at Christmas.