A Somerset town held an annual ceremony to celebrate people’s inspiring achievements.
Three people living in Axbridge have been presented with awards for their ‘outstanding’ accomplishments in the community and beyond during the past year.
They received the accolades at the town’s ninth Civic Awards Ceremony, held at St John the Baptist Church, on March 3.
Axbridge town crier Nigel Scott, High Sheriff of Somerset Denis Burn, town mayor Barbara Wells and some of the community’s councillors attended and hosted awards at the event.
Donations collected from ceremony raised £407 which will go towards making Axbridge a dementia-friendly town accredited by the Alzheimer’s Society.
Community group innovator - David Parkin - received a Civic Award for his work on many of the town’s projects.
He gained the prize for his contributions to the Strawberry Line cycle path - which runs through Axbridge and into Cheddar - working with sustainable transport charity Sustrans and supplying the town’s school with an allotment for people living nearby.
He also helped to develop the town’s neighbourhood plan and he worked on the design and build of Axbridge Community Theatre.
Member of the Royal Yachting Association’s youth squad, Bettine Harris, received a Young Person’s Award for her sailing abilities which landed her a place in Team GB’s future events.
King of Wessex student Nina Tyrrell also received the same award for her trumpet playing skills with the brass ensemble of the Cheddar Valley Music Club.
The ceremony was also attended by MP James Heappey, Sedgemoor district councillors Liz Scott and Nigel Taylor and Tessa Munt from Somerset County Council.
The church hall was packed with family, friends and well-wishers, including representatives from the town’s trust, girl guides and sea cadets.
Councillor Jeremy Gall was remembered at the event’s service, who passed away last year after a short illness.
A spokesman for Axbridge Town Council said: “We would like to say a big thank you to all the people who came to celebrate the award-winners’ amazing achievements.”
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