Local unsung heroes named as finalists for Torbay Community Champion Awards

Judging the annual Torbay Community Champion Awards is never easy, but this year it was off-the-scale difficult.

How can you choose between volunteers and community workers who have all given up hours of their time and devoted their efforts to others, never expecting any praise or thanks in return?

Just being nominated for these prestigious awards is praise indeed, and nominees should be proud to have made the list, whether they then go on to make the shortlist or not. But that does not help the judges who have to narrow each of the categories down to just three.

Well, that’s the theory at least, but as you will read in what follows, despite hours of deliberation, it sometimes was not possible. And that is just the shortlists for each of the nine categories. Picking the overall winners? A nightmare.

My thanks go to my fellow judges who stepped up to narrow down the field and pick the shortlists and winners – Michelle Pugh from Wollens – Full Spectrum Law in Torquay, Kate Allen from Cantina – Kitchen, bar and restaurants, Niall Thompson from South Devon College, Tracey Cabache from Torbay Communities and Jim Parker from the Torbay Weekly.

Over the next few weeks, this column will feature more about the shortlisted candidates, along with interviews with the winners.

Official Shortlist

Climate and Environment Award

• Cricketfield Community Garden
• Mike Langman from Friends of Clennon Lakes
• Hannah Beaumont from Me and the Plastic Sea

Emergency Worker of the Year Award

• Liz Watt from Mini First Aid Exeter and Devon
• Paul Northey from Riviera Event Solutions

Good Neighbour

• Luke Cook from Nexus Games in Torquay and Torbay Pride
• Teresa Panizzi from the Torbay Timebank
• William Taylor, from Torquay, for his work with numerous charities and organisations

Health and Wellbeing

• Alan Tilley from Turning Heads CIC
• NeuroNest South West CIC, which reduces social isolation and increases educational opportunities for neurodivergent home educated children
• Simon Langridge from Space - Launching Futures CIC which offers support, learning and social opportunities to individuals with pan disabilities in Torbay and surrounding areas
• Up and Running Torbay, a club run by volunteers to promote both mental and physical fitness

Kevin Helmore Carer of the Year

• Dawn Cox, from Torbay Carers
• Ali Meadows, also from Torbay Carers
• Jade Stuart

Lifetime Award

• Carolyn Morgan for her work with charities and organisations in Brixham
• Tanny Stobart, best known for her work with Play Torbay
• Major Ron Goodwin for his work with the Paignton branch of the Royal British Legion

Volunteer of the Year

• Jonathan Parr from Brixham for his work with Brixham Futures and various community projects in the town
• Paul Dutchemon of South West Blood Bikes
• Angela Osborne from Torbay Lifeboat Fundraisers.

Volunteering Team

• The Torbay Prostate Support Association
• The Torbay Ladies Lounge – support for Women in Need at Upton Vale Church in Torquay
• Brixham Rugby
• The Living Room and Wash Room at St Mags in Torquay

Young Volunteer

• Daisy Coote for her work fundraising and supporting Turning Heads and Feed a Child Torbay
• Yazmin Stanley for volunteering at Ellacombe Community Partnership Community Café
• Macey Gardiner for her work with the 11th Torbay Sea Scouts
• Peter-Criss Brian Healy for his fundraising for Rowcroft Hospice after they cared for his father who had kidney cancer

All those on the shortlist will be invited to an awards ceremony at Bay Church in Sands Road, Paignton, on Friday, January 23rd, when the winners will be announced, including the overall Torbay Community Champion 2025, which will be voted on by everyone at the event, making them a true ‘community’ champion.

Many thanks to our sponsors, without whom these awards would not be possible – Wollens – Full Spectrum Law, South Devon College, Torbay Council, Steve Darling MP for Torbay, the Torbay Weekly, Torbay Communities, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Cantina Kitchen, Bar and Restaurant and Steve Barriball.

If you feel inspired to get into volunteering then please do go VolunteerTorbay.com and fill in a short form. Alternatively, search for 'Torbay Together' in your favourite search engine and go to Devon Connect, where up-to-date volunteering opportunities can be found.

Finally, if you want a chat about volunteering, call the Community Helpline on 01803 446022.