Sutton borough’s local heroes found themselves in the spotlight last night when the winners of the 2015 Sutton Community Awards were announced at a ceremony in the Civic Offices. The outstanding residents who make the borough a better place to live and work have been named as:

Tracey Collins, winner of the Safer Borough Award

Teresa Martucci, winner of the Improving Lives Award

Janet Hill, winner of the Community Spirit Award

Sutton Community Farm, winner of the Business in the Community Award

Abi Gambel, winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award

Tracey Collins was the winner of the Safer Borough Award for outstanding service to the borough for keeping Sutton safe, sponsored by Subsea 7. She was nominated for her outstanding and selfless commitment to road safety in her locality, by campaigning for a safer road layout at Hackbridge junction including the introduction of zebra crossings. She attended many Council meetings, organised residents’ meetings, gathered information, organised supporters and worked to make Hackbridge safer.

Tracey said:

“I’m pleased that I won. I would like to thank everyone that nominated me. It was 18 months of work with the community, the council and Sutton councillors to make the area better for everyone.

“The Heart of Hackbridge scheme was great for widening the pavements and having flower baskets but people did not get on with the informal crossings that were brought in. When we started we got the lollipop person’s contact extended to make the area safer and now we have the new zebra crossing and it is working really well.”

Teresa Martucci won the Improving Lives Award, recognising those who go that extra mile to make a difference to people’s lives. It was sponsored by Everyone Active. Teresa was nominated in recognition of her voluntary work. For more than 10 years Teresa has been volunteering as a Mentoring and Peer Support (MAPS) mentor and has supported many young people who have faced some really challenging life situations. Teresa’s passion for helping others saw her change careers around seven years ago when she joined the MAPS team to work there in her day-to-day role. She is also a Befriender and meets with a vulnerable adult each week. Teresa’s dedication and passion for helping young people in the borough is second to none.

Teresa said:

“I feel so humbled to get this award. I don’t feel worthy but I’ll take it. There are so many people that do great work.

“The satisfaction I get from volunteering and mentoring is something I can’t quantify.

“I was a looked after child, but at that time, when you were 16 year old the support was finished and you go onto independent living. That is why I wanted to do mentoring – to bridge the gap.

“You can never do enough volunteering. The Volunteer Centre is my family. If I had elderly parents I would look after them, but I don’t so I am able to go and look after other people.”

Janet Hill won the Community Spirit Award, sponsored by the Crystal Palace Football Club Foundation, which celebrates residents who bring the community together through events, clubs or projects. Janet has been involved with the Guides for over 40 years. She goes out of her way to support others and improve our borough – from picking up members of her church with mobility problems to giving away fruit and vegetables she has grown, nothing is too much trouble for Janet. In the Autumn Janet organised for Brownies to assist with litter picking. She has helped make the borough a cleaner and better place as well as educating young girls about the importance of community spirit and teamwork.

Janet said:

“With the Brownies it is great to see them grow and develop, with some of them actually becoming Leaders themselves. We have up to 30 girls at one time so I have be involved with hundreds of young people over the years.

“It’s really nice for people to think of me with this award. There is a lot of satisfaction with volunteering. You can do as much or as little as you want which is great.”

Sutton Community Farm picked up the Business in the Community Award for promoting increased prosperity, employment or access to the borough through business initiatives, sponsored by Successful Sutton. A community-led enterprise offering exceptional food and farming services to local residents, the farm has developed initiatives such as teaching local residents how to grow vegetables and encouraging healthy eating. More than 2,000 local volunteers have been a part of Sutton Community Farm. This business supports fellow businesses in our community through supplying their produce to local shops and restaurants. Sutton Community Farm also works with the voluntary sector helping local residents gain employment and training opportunities.

Charlotte Steel, General Manager of Sutton Community Farm, said:

“I think I have the best job in London. I get to drive in a tractor at work. I get to work with hundreds of wonderful volunteers that give their time to the project and produce a meaningful amount of food.

“We are making a small but significant challenge to industrial food produce. It is really valuable that we are growing food organically with lower amounts of fossil fuels. We are teaching people how to grow vegetables. That is really enjoyable to do in the summer, but even in the depths of winter people are still dedicated to the project which is great.”

Abi Gambel won the Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Metro Bank, for bringing credit to the borough. Abi is part of the Sutton Borough Cadets and has been for many years. This year, as team leader, she led her cadet team to victory in the Gravesend Met Police Cadet competition. Abi demonstrated excellent leadership skills, teamwork and supported all of her team. As a result of her passion and great service to the cadets, Abi is now Police Cadet Ambassador for Sutton.

Abi said:

“It is crazy and unexpected to win this award. I feel like I have got so many good things out of cadets and now I have an award.

“I came in as a cadet four years ago and worked up the ranks to become Head Cadet. We have over 100 cadets in total and there are all sorts of things to do. I have been on leadership courses, met the Police Commissioner and shadowed the Assistant Commissioner.

“I like the discipline of the cadets. It is a structure we do not have in school and I have a completely different group of friends.”

Cllr Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council, said:

“We are fortunate that Sutton is a borough with so many people who inspire others and go that extra mile, whether as carers, volunteers, community organisers or charity workers. I am delighted to formally recognise their efforts to make the borough a better place to live.

“Congratulations to all these outstanding community members.”

The Runners-up

The Community Awards are not just about the winners, but a celebration of the Sutton community as a whole.

The runners-up for the Safer Borough Award were Steve King, who has served the community in Cheam by delivering presentations about personal safety at primary schools and founding Sutton Football Club for people with disabilities; and Peter Lytton, who launched and ran Sutton’s Volunteer Police Cadets to give young people a unique insight into the workings of the Police and teaching them how to improve their communication and leadership skills.

The runners-up for the Improving Lives Award were Anne Prothero, who gives a lot of help and advice to people in our community who have Alzheimer’s and is writing a booklet with advice for people who care for those with the disease; and Molly Wilkins, who has spent all of her life going the extra mile for others in the Sutton community having been a licensed voluntary Pastoral worker since 1975 and has selflessly supported young and elderly residents in Wallington until her recent retirement.

The runners-up for the Community Spirit Award were Mini Mix, a drop-in session on Tuesday afternoons set up and run by Rosemary Langley, Alice McFadden and Patricia McGuire for all residents on the Chaucer estate; Rosemary Burchell, who runs the Sutton division of St John’s Ambulance Cadets and over the years has helped to promote First Aid for young people to more than 1,000 children; and Paul Carter and his colleagues for organising the hugely-popularNonsuch Park Run.

The runners-up for the Business in the Community Award were Tazza Coffee, which is a pillar of the community in Sutton. Being a social enterprise that hosts business networking events, supports Social Saturday and partners with various charitable initiatives; and Vanessa Udall, a very community minded businesswoman who actively helps charities and has several successful businesses in the borough.

The runners-up for the Outstanding Achievement Award were Megan and Elizabeth O’Shea, whose love and passion for science has seen them create their own brand, Science Rocks, to raise awareness of science, particularly to young women, and have three national awards for three separate science films at the National Physical laboratory School Science Film Competition; and Bethany Knowles, a full-time student who also leads Sutton Youth Parliament, runs Sutton Youth Commissioners and helps teach ballet and tap dance to young children in dance schools in Sutton.

The evening’s overall sponsor was Bilfinger GVA.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

Community Awards 2015

Safer Borough Award: Given outstanding service to the borough by keeping Sutton safe: 

WINNER: Tracey Collins

RUNNERS UP: Steve King and Peter Lytton

Improving Lives Award: Made a difference to people’s lives by going the extra mile

WINNER: Teresa Martucci

RUNNERS UP: Anne Prothero and Molly Wilkins

Community Spirit Award: Brought the community together through community events, clubs or projects

WINNER: Janet Hill

RUNNERS UP: Mini Mix. Rosemary Burchell, and Paul Carter and the Nonsuch Park Run

Business in the Community Award: Increased prosperity, employment or access to the borough through business initiatives

WINNER: Sutton Community Farm

RUNNERS UP: Tazza Coffee and Vanessa Udall

Outstanding Achievement Award: Brought credit to the borough through outstanding achievement 

WINNER: Abi Gambel

RUNNERS UP: Megan and Elizabeth O’Shea, and Bethany Knowles

Photographs of the event can be found on our Flickr page here. All photograph credit to Richard Bloomfield.