Borough Mayor honours community champions for their years of dedication

An evening of celebration was held to thank individuals and charities that make Wokingham Borough a better place to live.

Cllr Adrian Mather presented certificates to winners of the Mayor’s Honour Awards at the Oakwood Centre in Woodley on Monday 10 March.

Around 75 people attended the event, which is held annually to shine a spotlight on people who have been chosen throughout the civic year, while also giving local charities a chance to network with one another.

Cllr Mather launched the awards in August last year and held three rounds of nominations, encouraging residents to nominate people who have gone above and beyond. 

The winners were presented with a certificate and lapel badge. After the awards were handed out, guests enjoyed a buffet of sandwiches, fruit and baked goods.

Cllr Mather said: “I was delighted to be involved at last year’s voluntary sector thank you event when I was Deputy Mayor and I knew immediately that it would be one of the highlights of my year as Borough Mayor.

“There were lots of amazing stories to come from this year’s nominations. For lots of people, it isn’t a one-off grand gesture, but instead a sustained contribution over many years.

“Although these individuals do not seek praise, I think it is only right that we celebrate their dedication and selflessness, as this will only encourage other residents to follow suit and seek to emulate the outstanding example they have set.”

And the winners are…

• Richard Cottle – Described as a ‘true champion of community spirit’ Richard was nominated for a Mayor’s Honour Award for his work with Woodley Foodbank. Since 2016, he has devoted 15 to 30 hours per week to help the charity and support families in need. He also raises awareness about food poverty through local schools and organisations
• Lee Newton – Lee has been a tenant volunteer with Wokingham Borough Council for 22 years, making him the longest serving tenant volunteer. He is the chair of the Communications Group, as well as deputy chair of the Tenant and Landlord Improvement Panel
• Brian Lee – Brian is another tenant volunteer of more than 20 years. Now aged 91, he used to work for the council and when he retired, he wanted to give something back. He spent all his time working to make improvements to the Housing Repairs Service

• Andy Jones – Born and bred in Wokingham, Andy does a lot of work for charity. He has been a volunteer befriender at The Link Visiting Scheme for the last eight years. He spends lots of time collecting food for SHARE Wokingham, which collects and redistributes food that would go to waste to those in need and he uses his musical talents to entertain care home residents

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• Nic Lander – Nic was nominated for setting up the Kimel Foundation, which helps neurodivergent young people to find work. He is also the owner of Kimel Community Café in Wokingham, where he employs young people
• John Mallaghan – A volunteer befriender with The Link Visiting Scheme since 2014, John rose to the position of chair during the coronavirus pandemic. He has also served as a trustee and played a crucial role in many of the charity’s projects to help older and isolated residents
• Kris Manning – Kris volunteers at Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue and has attended more than 250 callouts and given more than 8,300 hours of volunteering in his 38 years of service. He is a search manager, medic, drone pilot and trainer
• Sidhant Anand – The only young person to win an award this year, Sidhant was recognised as emerging young performer in acting, music and dance, performing in the West End production of Matilda the Musical

The Mayor’s Honour Awards is open to adults, children and young people and community groups who work, live, study or provide services in the borough.

Cllr Mather was accompanied by deputy mayor Cllr Carol Jewell and a speech was given by Emma Cantrell, CEO of First Days Children’s Charity, which is the mayor’s charity of the year.

Nominations for next year’s Mayor’s Honour Awards will open in August. These should be no longer than 100 words and set out why the nominee should be considered. The nominee's full name, contact details, such as their email address and telephone number, should also be included in the entry. To nominate an individual or group, email the mayor’s office: mayoralsupport@wokingham.gov.uk.