THE BOROUGH’S great and good were celebrated at the inaugural Wokingham Community Awards.
Ten categories were presented at the spaceforall venue in All Saints Church in Wiltshire Road last Wednesday evening at a glittering ceremony hosted by chair of Wokingham Toastmasters Society Graeme Hobbs.
Presentations were made by the publisher of Wokingham Today, David Riley, and the borough mayor, Cllr Beth Rowland.
This was the first such event to be held in the newly refurbished All Saints Church, which has removed its pews to create a flexible meeting space that can be used for concerts, meetings, co-working, and having a cuppa.
On arrival, guests could enjoy a glass of sparkling wine from Twyford’s Stanlake Park, or some light refreshments courtesy of Tesco Wokingham and Hamlet restaurant in Peach Place.
Louise Jedras, community champion at the Tesco Superstore on Finchampstead Road, said: “We are proud and delighted to have donated refreshments to such an important event, helping to honour those local people whose amazing work often goes unrecognised.
“These are the residents who help our community to flourish and grow closer, especially during challenging times.
“The Wokingham Community Awards celebrate all that’s good about our community, and long may it continue.”
Mr Hobbs told the audience: “Wokingham Borough is a wonderful place to both live and work and we are here to celebrate some amazing individuals, businesses and community groups hearing what they’ve been up to in our local communities.”
Each of the awards was sponsored by Wokingham Borough Businesses, with the ceremony itself supported by Wokingham Borough Council.
Winners was presented by a specially created certificate, and had their picture taken.
After the ceremony, they were interviewed by the Wokingham Today team.
The judging panel of Philip Bell and Alice Kunjappy-Clifton were also in attendance and thanked.
Now, preparations have begun for next year’s ceremony.
Eddie Pearce, Wokingham Today’s general manager, said: “We are delighted with how this year’s inaugural Wokingham Community Awards went.
“We launched them because we want to shout about the amazing people in the borough who are doing fantastic things to make it a better place.
“We have had more nominations that we expected, and the judging panel had a really hard time deciding who should be shortlisted, and then declared the winners.
“Everyone who was nominated is amazing, and we are grateful to our readers for taking the time and trouble to put them forward. If they didn’t win this year, do enter them again next year.”
He continued: “We are not going to rest on our laurels. Plans are already being made for next year’s event, which will be bigger and better. There will be some additional categories and we cannot wait to find out who Wokingham wants to celebrate.
“We are grateful to our sponsors for their support: David Cliff estate agents, Trademark Windows, Doors and Conservatories, Jay Printers, Prospect Estate Agents, Pratts Pods, Places Leisure, BluePrint Fitted Furniture, Blandy & Blandy Solicitors, Wokingham Positive Difference, and Kutchenhaus, as well as Wokingham Borough Council, Stanlake Park, Tesco Wokingham, and All Saints Church.
“Wokingham really is a great place, and it is all thanks to its community minded businesses and its wonderful people.”
