Winners of the Mayor’s Citizenship Awards 2010 have been announced at a ceremony held in the council chamber at the Civic Offices.
Individuals and groups were recognised during the ceremony for their outstanding voluntary and charitable work and also for acts of bravery. The Mayor presented each winner with a certificate honouring their achievement and, following the ceremony, spent time chatting to the winners.
Mayor of Bridgend County Borough, Councillor Jefferson Tildesley said: “Last year was the first of the new Mayor’s Citizenship Awards. The high standard of nominations in 2009 really set the bar for years to follow and I was very pleased to see so many submitted this year and, again, of an exceptional standard.
“We asked the residents of Bridgend county borough to nominate those who deserve recognition; individuals and groups who make a significant and positive impact on their communities. It is my honour to personally thank and congratulate each of our winners. The county borough of Bridgend has a great deal to be proud of.”
The winners included:
Rae Parsons, individual winner
Rae provides supported lodgings for young people who are either leaving care or can no longer live at home. A widowed lady of mature years, Rae has her own adult children and a number of grandchildren. She has provided supported accommodation for the past nineteen years and, in that time, coped with many difficult placements, never failing to provide the young people who stay with her with the wisdom, homeliness and down to earth manner of the ‘grand-parent’ generation. Rae genuinely enjoys the company of young people. She treats them as individuals and offers them time, a common sense approach to problems and a real sense of being ‘at home’.
Richard Ashman, individual winner
Richard was nominated by his wife Faye, in recognition of his 46 years service to the South Wales Police. Richard ran the regional driving school for Wales, which is regarded as one of the finest driving schools in the country. Richard has trained hundreds of police officers over the years and even Prince Charles’s head chauffeur and personnel. He has also helped to raise over £40,000 for a charity taking terminally ill children to Euro Disney, escorting them in police convoy.
Peter Cavalli and pupils from Brynteg Comprehensive School, group winners
Peter and the pupils of Brynteg have made a significant contribution to charity work over the past eight years, particularly through the secret Santa appeal which provides disadvantaged children in the community with Christmas presents. Last year alone over £10,000 was raised through their dedication and hard work so that these children could have gifts to open on Christmas morning.
Bridgend Male Choir, group winners
This year, this prestigious choir celebrates its 50th birthday. In that time, the gentlemen of Bridgend Male Choir have given countless concerts, mostly in support of charity and good causes, generating in the region of £1m. The choir regularly travels around the UK and Europe and are excellent ambassadors for Bridgend and Wales. Chairman, Mansel Abraham was also honoured as an individual winner for his 36 years as the ‘guiding light’ of the choir and his drive and enthusiasm.
The full list of winners follows:
| Individual winners | |
| Gaynor Hayes | Awarded for her work with the development of the Wildmill Area Tenants and Residents Association |
| Julian Hawkins | Awarded for establishing a community club for young people in Llangeinor. |
| Christopher Hughes | Awarded for founding Newton Lifeguards and his continued voluntary involvement. |
| Doug Dixon | Awarded for his work as a lead volunteer for many years with Llynfi Valley forum, youth projects and the Rivercare group. |
| Mansel Abraham | Awarded for his role as Chairman of Bridgend Male Choir for 36 years. |
| Richard Ashman | Awarded for his dedication and 46 years service to South Wales Police. |
| Tony Mullins | Awarded for his work within the Maesteg community for many years, as an active member of Maesteg Operatic Society and as chair of the local Cancer Research branch. |
| Carol Morgan | Awarded for her work over 40 years as a foster parent to many children. |
| William Rogers | Awarded for his work over 20 years as welfare officer for the Bridgend branch of the Royal British Legion. |
| Shirley Hooper | Awarded for her work over the last 15 years as a volunteer at Mynydd Cynffig Infants School. |
| Pauline Jewitt | Awarded for her work as one of the founders of Noddfa Chapel Community and now as volunteer caretaker. |
| Hedley Davies | Awarded for his voluntary help and kindness to older people in Bridgend. |
| David Treharne | Awarded for his community work over the past 40 years in Ogmore Vale. |
| Rachael Parsons | Awarded for her work in providing supported lodgings for young people who cannot live at home or cope independently. |
| Graham Evans | Awarded for his work with sporting activities in the Llynfi Valley. |
| Ann Phillips | Awarded for her work for many years in Llynfi Valley groups, notably with the Town Hall, children’s choir and Amateur Operatic Society. |
| Lynda Williams | Awarded for her work as secretary of Bridgend County Allotment Association. |
| John Hughes | Awarded for his work organising many fundraising events for the Maesteg Royal British Legion. |
| Allan Harris | Awarded for his voluntary contribution to the Caerau Boys and Girls Club in training and supporting the football teams. |
| John Fussell | Awarded for his company’s sponsorship of Caerau Boys and Girls Club for over 10 years. |
| Adrian Morgan | Awarded for his voluntary work within the North Cornelly community – particularly the Scouts. |
| Edwina Rose | Awarded for her voluntary work in the Betws area. |
| Group winners | |
| Bridgend Male Choir | Awarded for 50 years of fundraising, generating in the region of £1m for charity and for being ambassadors for Bridgend County Borough. |
| Shani Roberts and Christine Birch | Awarded for their work as volunteers at Sarn Nursery. |
| Peter Cavalli and Brynteg Comprehensive School pupils | Awarded for their contribution to charity work, in particular the Secret Santa appeal. |
| Pisgah Ladies Fellowship Committee | Awarded for their fundraising work to benefit the chapel and raising over £20,000 for local charities. |
| Sarn and Bryncethin Community Association | Awarded for developing and improving a community centre in Sarn over the past 32 years. |
| Stephen Thomas and Claire Thomas | Awarded for providing life-saving assistance to a Bridgend County Borough Council service user until paramedics arrived. |
