“Pillar of the community” receives volunteering award

The winners of the 2022 Good Citizens Awards were presented with their awards at the Lincolnshire Show on Wednesday 22 June by Lincolnshire County Council leader Martin Hill OBE and chairman Alison Austin.

The awards were created to recognise the extraordinary work that so many volunteers do throughout Lincolnshire.

There were winners in four categories: Individual, Young Citizen, Community Group and Pair or Couple.

The winner of the Individual prize was Nigel Peart, from Tattershall who was described as “truly a pillar of the local community”.

As a member of Coningsby and Tattershall Lions, Nigel has been involved with prescription collection and food shopping and delivering for vulnerable people, as well as making food parcels for children during school holidays.

He also volunteers as a marshall at Louth Hospital and is a driver for Louth Voluntary Car Service, taking clients to and from appointments.

In 2020 he became a Walk for Health leader guiding those with health issues on short walks once a week, and is the Treasurer and Booking Agent for Tattershall Village Hall committee.

In January, Nigel became a volunteer at Boston Pilgrim Hospital helping patients on wards, guiding patients to where they need to be and carrying out office support.

Nigel said it was a big surprise to have been nominated for the award, and when asked how he fits in so much voluntary work, he said it was with “great difficulty”!

He has been volunteering since he retired from his role repairing black boxes at RAF Coningsby, and said he didn’t just want a quiet retirement but wanted to keep busy:

"I’ll put my hand up to do anything, but I don’t think i have time to take on more,” he said, “But I really enjoy want I do and want to keep doing it.”

He was nominated by his fellow Coningsby Walk for Health group leader Sara Cook, said: “He does everything with such humility and compassion. He enjoys helping others in his own unassuming, gentle way.”

Commenting on the winners of the awards, Coun Hill said: “I am proud to say that our county has a great tradition of volunteering, so, with that in mind, the county council created the Good Citizens Awards to give us the opportunity to recognise our own unsung heroes.

“This year's winners are truly inspirational and make a huge difference to their communities through their unstinting commitment.”

Coun Austin added: “The winners were chosen from a host of nominations covering all corners of the county and we would like to thank everyone who took the time to tell us about the unsung heroes from their communities.”