The Haywards Heath Town Council Community Awards recognise, celebrate and
congratulate the unsung heroes of the town who work tirelessly to make a difference
to our local community. We are looking for remarkable local community heroes.
These may be individual residents or businesses who have made a significant
contribution to our local community, either from a specific action or event, or
as a cumulative effect, over a longer period of time.
This years Mayor's Award has been presented to Roy Randall, known to many as Poppa Roy!
Roy has been presented the award for his charitable works in the local community, the incredible amount of volunteering he does for the Princess Royal Hospital and the town with great gusto..
Town Mayor, Cllr Stephanie Inglesfield comments 'I was quite taken by the genuine and joyful spirit of service that he displays and by how his whole family joins him in his charitable activities. Quite a joyful and impressive bunch!'
Volunteer of the year- in association with Mid Sussex Voluntary Action
Winners- Annie Lacey and Olly Challis
Highly Commended- Sharon-Jane Davis
Annie and Olly were nominated for playing an integral part in the
Kangaroos team with their volunteering which has included representing Kangaroos at a fundraising ball, helping at MSVA's Volunteer Fair and supporting a family day to celebrate the charity's 30th anniversary!
Sharon-Jane was nominated for her dedication to Girlguiding, supporting the girls and their families. Sharon has put on fundraising events as well as events for the girls, their parents, carers and families. She has dedicated her life to Girlguiding and has managed to open up 5 more units since COVID!
Outstanding Adult Of The Year
Winner- Barbara Baldwin
Highly Commended- Robbie Randall
Barbara has been the chair of MSOPC for the last 20 years. She has just, this year, decided to step down from the role. Barbara, through her work at MSOPC has ensured so many older people have been able to social interaction in their lives. She has gone above and beyond for many members, often offering to source help when they are in difficult living situations. She is very mindful of the people she interacts with through this work and ensures MSOPC is accessible for all, which a variety of different communication strategies to suit different the different technical abilities. She has stopped a great deal of people from suffering from social isolation and has been a lifeline to many.
Robbie is dedicated, reliable, responsible and totally trustworthy She has been a volunteer since the moment she moved to Haywards Heath several years ago first of all with the League of Friends in their coffee shop in the PRH and now in the Baby Unit in Bolney Ward where she is a much valued member of the team. She has been a key member of the Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride team, helped with teams of swimmers at the annual Lions SWIMARATHON and is a founder organiser for the Haywards Heath’s Got Talent show part of the Haywards Heath Arts Festival. She has stage managed all of the Poppa Roy Players fundraising productions and still finds time to help her friends, neighbours and family whenever she is needed.
Outstanding Young Person Of The Year
Winner- Ben Wellen
Highly Commended- Thomas Cunningham Coleshill
Ben has been a shining star in our community, he has attended and supported regular litter picks in the town. He has helped to keep the town clean and this in turn has helped with our In Bloom awards!
Thomas has overcome a lot in his early adolescent years and is now a young leader and mentor for other young people. Each week, Thomas volunteers at the Bentswood Hub CIC Junior Youth Group, supporting other young people and he also volunteers with Haywards Heath Town Football Club on match days.
Sportsperson of the year- in association with Active Haywards Heath
Winner- Michael Wain
Highly Commended- Steve Isherwood
Michael was nominated for standing out as an exceptional mentor and instructor, dedicated to guiding both children and adults in the realm of martial arts. His commitment is unwavering. He has had a transformative impact on a young man's life, helping him to overcome bullying, foster resilience and instilling a newfound confidence.
Steve was nominated for his hard work and dedication to Haywards Heath Football Club. Steve has stabilised the club, which is doing so well on and off the pitch. He has created a welcoming atmosphere in the stadium and the facilities for the local community.
Katie Rabone, CEO of
Mid Sussex Voluntary Action - MSVA, comments 'On behalf of MSVA, I was delighted to be part of the judging panel for the HHTC Community Awards 2024. It was not an easy job when there were so many worthy nominees!
MSVA has an unswerving commitment to increase and sustain participation in volunteering across Mid Sussex, ensuring anyone can volunteer. Annie Lacey and Olly Challis, joint winners of Volunteer of the Year, are hugely deserving of this accolade. They have both approached volunteering with such positive energy and been generous with their own lived experience to support people accessing the amazing services of Kangaroos. Bravo to Kangaroos for providing a safe and supportive space so anyone can volunteer.
Running community groups and projects takes time and commitment. Every nominee, winner and highly commended person is special, and their skills, expertise and time is hugely acknowledged and gratefully received.'
Business Award (Community Involvement)
Winner- Nicola Bird, The Orchards Shopping Centre
Highly Commended- Thomas Burns, Coop Bolnore Village
Nicola has worked tirelessly for years as centre manager of The Orchards in Haywards Heath. Nicola devotes her days to making sure the community can enjoy a vibrant shopping centre, going over and above to organise event after event and always staying positive despite facing (in the last year particularly) huge personal loss. She always puts others first and is an incredibly special human being. Nicola gets heavily involved in projects that benefit the local community, not just in the centre, but around the town.
Thomas and his team in the COOP are the heart of the village here in Bolnore. Not only does Thomas hold fundraising events but he has been instrumental in helping local clubs and charities (Bolnore Scouts, Bolnore Netball and more recently the Community Garden to name a few) access funds provided by COOP. After having gone through a number of managers he has become part of the community in Bolnore and often goes above and beyond. Another example is allowing his staff to deliver food and other essentials to the more vulnerable residents free of charge which is a godsend for those that are unable to get out.
To view our Town Council Community Awards Policy, please click here.