A luxury holiday for two is up for grabs to the winner of a prestigious award from the Mayor of Dudley.
The fifth category in the Mayor’s Civic Awards – The Mayor’s award - launches today (Tuesday February 21).
The winner will be decided by an online public vote, and thanks to the awards sponsor Thomas Cook, Dudley and Flexible trips, they will be whisked away on a week’s holiday for two to Orlando, Florida.
The Mayor has chosen four groups/people who have stood out to him during his Mayoral year, and the public can now go online to vote for the one they feel most deserves the award.
The nominees are:
Sue Wallin – Side by Side theatre company. Side by Side is an independent theatre company giving learning disabled actors, who have trained in performing arts, the opportunity to work as actors and dancers in a professionally organised group.
Wendy Fryatt – Black Country Food Bank. Wendy runs the food bank which helps vulnerable individuals and families in crisis through the provision of three days emergency food supplies while a longer-term solution is developed.
Anne Adams – Dudley Stroke Club. Anne is chairman of the club which provides help and support to people who have suffered a stroke including someone to talk to, entertainment and trips out.
Ros Bratt-Wyton – RussellsHallHospital leukaemia appeal fund. She was instrumental in establishing the Georgina Unit at RussellsHallHospital in 1998, which cares for patients with leukaemia and cancer.
Councillor Michael Evans, Mayor of Dudley, said:
“This is a fantastic prize for the winner of the Mayor’s award and we are all very grateful to Thomas Cook, Dudley, for their support this year.
“I have chosen four people who I believe have done amazing things for this borough, but there can only be one winner. I hope the public will get involved and vote for their winner.”
Lyn Finch, store manager of Thomas Cook, Dudley, said:
“We’re delighted to be part of the Mayor’s Civic Awards and I’m sure the holiday will go to a very deserving person, whoever wins.
“This prize is about giving someone who works tirelessly in their community, a well earned break.”
The Mayor’s Civic Awards is hosted in association with Thomas Cook, Dudley, and local businesses have stepped forward to support the awards by sponsoring each of the categories.
Public nominations for the four categories have now closed, and judging will take place later this month (FEB). A panel will choose a winner and a runner up in the Duncan Edwards award for sport, sponsored by Dudley healthy towns, the Cedric Hardwicke award for arts sponsored by StourbridgeCollege, the Frank Foley award for community spirit sponsored by Dudley Building Society and the Thomas Attwood award for education which is sponsored by Computeach.
People can vote for their winner of the Mayor’s award here until March 4.
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Notes to editors
Pictured: Councillor Michael Evans, Mayor of Dudley, with Lyn Finch, store manager of Thomas Cook, Dudley.
About the Mayor’s Civic Awards
The Duncan Edwards awards for sport is named after Dudley’s most famous footballing son who tragically died aged 21, in the 1958 Munich air disaster. This is for those who have achieved in any sport. They may have represented a group, borough or even the country or overcome adversity such as illness or disability to achieve a personal goal. It is also to celebrate and thank those who give their time to working behind the scenes at our local sporting clubs and groups.
Last year, Shahzada Saleem, from Kingswinford, was the winner of the Duncan Edwards award for sport, for his amazing achievement in the sport of stone lifting.
The Cedric Hardwicke Award for arts, is in memory of Sir Cedric, born at Lye Cross in 1893. He went on to become a legend of the British stage and a leader of the British community in Hollywood. This is for people who have contributed to raising the profile of the arts in the borough – whether it be art, amateur dramatics, or music. This person may be the star of the show or they could work behind the scenes, helping to make it happen.
Last year, The Cedric Hardwicke award for arts winner was Lindsay Newton, from Stourbridge, for his energetic and tireless support of arts and education in the Dudley borough.
The Frank Foley Award for community spirit, honours the man dubbed the British Schindler. Frank risked his life to save 10,000 Jews while working as an MI6 agent in Berlin. This is for people who make an outstanding contribution to the community – whether it’s popping in on a neighbour every day, organising or supporting community, sports, or arts groups, or improving the locality for the benefit of everyone. Last year The Frank Foley award for community spirit top prize went to Stourbridge in Bloom stalwart, David Harcourt, who is the driving force behind the town’s annual success in the competition.
The Thomas Attwood Award for education remembers a man, born in Halesowen in 1783, who was a leader for parliamentary reform. Thomas was instrumental in bringing about the 1832 Reform Act – which gave counties and large towns greater representation in parliament and virtually tripled the electorate. This award is for those who go above and beyond the call of duty to improve the standard of education in the borough. This may be someone who gives up their time to help at an after school club or who offers support to learners of all ages.
Last year The Thomas Attwood award for education winner was Anne Penn, head teacher at St James CE Primary School, Stourbridge, for the past 27 years.
The Mayor has made his personal choices for the Mayor’s Award, which is this year sponsored by Thomas Cook, Dudley. The four nominees are facing a public vote via the council’s website.
Last year, Bronwen Hall, from the Black Country Talking Newspaper and Magazine, won the top prize. The service provides audio news and information for people with sight loss in the Dudley borough.
