Windsor & Eton Rotary Club held its first Service Above Self community awards in order to celebrate and give thanks to contributions made by those who supported the local community during a difficult year.
The event, held at Dorney Lake and sponsored by Grundon Waste Management, also saw grants of up to £500 each awarded to the six different groups who won the Community Grant Award.
Recipients of the grant included the Adult Dyslexia Centre, Windsor Food Share and the Windsor Learning Partnership Music Department.
The winners, nominees and vaccination centre volunteers who were celebrated at the inaugural Windsor & Eton Rotary Club Service Above Self community awards.
The awards were attended by many of the volunteers who gave up their time to help at The Royal Windsor Racecourse during its time as a COVID-19 vaccination centre.
Paul Bayley, a Rotarian from Windsor & Eton Rotary, said: “This inaugural awards ceremony was an opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the wonderful vaccination centre volunteers, who made a tremendous difference in facilitating the smooth running of the vaccine programme on a daily basis.
“Importantly though, it was a celebration of all the amazing work that goes on in our communities every single day, recognizing the support that is given by all these people who truly embrace and embody the Rotary message about serving others and giving something back. Well done to each and every one of them.”
We were delighted to support this fantastic event and congratulations to everyone for going above and beyond in making a difference”
Aside from the Community Grant Award, there was also a Volunteer of the Year Award and a Junior Community Award given at the ceremony.
The winner of the Volunteer of the Year Award was Natalie Griffen-Smith, a teacher and mother of two boys, who set up a local Facebook group for families entitled ‘We’re all in this together’ and the Junior Community Award was won by Simi Anwar, a pupil at Dedworth Middle School who has carried out various community-related activities.
Winner of Volunteer of the Year, Natalie Griffen-Smith is pictured receiving her award from Adrian Benge President WERC (left) and Neil Grundon, Deputy Chairman of Grundon Waste Management.
Neil Grundon, Deputy Chairman of Grundon Waste Management, said: “We were delighted to support this fantastic event and congratulations to everyone for going above and beyond in making a difference.
“As a local company, we know the importance of community, so it was an honour to be involved and to recognise those who work so hard to help others less fortunate or who need a helping hand.”
The club is now making plans for it’s second Service Above Self awards in January 2022 as it looks forward to celebrating more heroic efforts from the local community.
