Town council catches up with awards delayed by pandemic
ASHBY Town Council has announced the recipients of its Civic Awards for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The awards were presented with their certificates by Councillor Rita Manning at the Mayor’s Civic Dinner, held at the Lyric Rooms in the town, in the presence of 82 invited guests.
Councillor leader Councillor John Coxon said: “The town council is very pleased to be able to finally present the award to the successful recipients of the Civic Award for Ashby for 2019, 2020 and 2021. This has not been possible until the mayor’s civic dinner due to cancellations as result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“All three are very worthy winners of the award and have been a great credit to the town over many years..”
The recipient of the 2019 award was Vanessa Bayliss. Mrs Bayliss has made many contributions to the town over the past 20 years and more, most associated with youth in the community. She was a founding member of the street pastors in 2010 and has consistently been on duty at weekend evenings giving pastoral care to late-night revellers in the town in association with the police and the night-time economy.
The recipient of the 2020 award was Dean O’shea. He is probably best known as the photo manager of Owen Jones, part of Dean and Smedley in Market Street, Ashby.
Dean was nominated for his voluntary work over the past 35-plus years going back to 1985, when he started work for Robert Jones at Owen Jones on Market Street. At that time Robert Jones had just started a “phone chain” initiative to pass on messages from shop to shop about shoplifters. This was soon to be handed over to Dean to run and developed into what it is today, a 50-plus team of retail radios in Ashby and Coalville.
The recipient of the 2021 award was Mark Arjoo. Mark was the dedicated neighbourhood police Officer for Ashby from October 2004 until his retirement earlier this year . During this time, he has engaged with many partner agencies, including North West Leicestershire District Council, Ashby Town Council, Ashby Pub Watch, Ashby Street Pastors, Retail Watch), organisations (including Residents Associations, churches, youth clubs, voluntary groups, schools. and sports clubs), and local businesses, and built up an excellent working relationship with all of them. He has advised on many policing issues and crime reduction initiatives, in order to make Ashby a safer place for residents and businesses.
The many events Mark has policed include Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Ashby Statutes, Ashby Christmas Event, Jim’s Tractor Run, Steam Rally,and “Proms in The Park”. In 2012, he received the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Also in 2012, Mark was highly commended in the Leicestershire Beat Bobby of The Year Award.
In February he retired from the police after completing 30 years’ service.