Time to nominate local volunteers for top award
PEOPLE in Lancashire are being encouraged to celebrate local voluntary groups, by nominating them for a prestigious award.
The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service by Groups in the Community (QAVS), is an annual award that celebrates the achievements of groups around the country whose work is having a big impact on their community.
Groups of two or more people can be put forward for the award, and nominations are now open for recognition in 2021.
Terry Hephrun, chair of the Lancashire panel for QAVS, said: ”We all know the value of voluntary effort to support communities, not least in the difficult circumstances we are facing in 2020.
“The Queen’s Award not only serves to provide recognition of volunteer groups, but also demonstrates the high respect in which volunteering is held.”
Nominations for the 2021 awards can be made until Saturday, September 12.
For more information, visit www.qavs.culture. gov.uk.
ASKELMERSDALE schoolboy has been rewarded for his inspirational fundraising efforts with a personal thank you from Everton FC coach David Unsworth.
Young Blues fan Logan was also invited to the club’s training ground to meet players as reward for his extraordinary efforts.
The 13-year-old has raised more than £4,000 for the Everton in the Community charity and has been baking treats for his neighbours to lift their spirits during the coronavirus outbreak.
Lathom High School pupil Logan started baking in 2017 in aid of Everton in the Community’s “Home Is Where The Heart Is” fundraising campaign and visited Everton’s training ground armed with his baked goods to sell them to staff and players.
He has since raised more than £4,000 for the charity over the past few seasons with his efforts including a two-mile sponsored swim, hosting bingo in the Matchday Hub and in the local community, and selling toys and cupcakes in St Luke’s Church on match days.
In recognition of his selfless efforts, Everton Under-23 manager David Unsworth picked up the phone to thank him for all he has done to support others.
During the surprise phone call, former player and caretaker manager Unsworth invited Logan to visit the training ground to spend time with him and his players as an special thank-you for all his hard work.
Although his fundraising has been brought to a temporary halt under the current government restrictions, Logan donned his apron again and has been busy at work in the kitchen, baking lots of different treats for his neighbours, many of whom are elderly and living alone.
Logan and his mum, Diane, have been following strict health and safety guidelines and every couple of days they make doorstep deliveries to their neighbours of treats including cupcakes, fruit trifles, muffins, and cheesecakes.
One member of the local community was so delighted by her regular deliveries that she sent him a note with a £20 donation for Everton in the Community.
Before the lockdown restrictions were announced on March 23, Logan had been hard at work on plans for a special Easter Bingo in aid of
Everton in the Community and had already begun to buy lots of chocolate eggs as prizes which he has since donated to the emergency services in Skelmersdale including the police, fire brigade and paramedics.
The teenager had also set his sights on a threeday 64-mile sponsored walk over the Pennines from Finch Farm to Sheffield United this month that was planned to finish at Bramall Lane on the day of the Sheffield United v Everton match – which has now been put on hold until next season.
He chose Sheffield United because of the connection to Blues striker Dominic CalvertLewin who has been Logan’s hero since meeting him at an Everton Under-23s game three years ago.
Diane said: “Ever since we attended the dedicated Home Is Where The Heart Is Under-23s match at Goodison in 2017, Logan decided that he’d like to do his bit and help with fundraising and it all snowballed from there.
“He comes up with lots of ideas – some doable and some not so doable. He has a great imagination but more importantly, he has a heart of gold.
“His dad Steve and I are so proud of Logan, he’s such a caring young man who always thinks of others and we weren’t surprised when he said he wanted to make treats for the neighbours to keep their spirits up and make them smile.
“Everton Football Club and Everton in the Community is a huge part of his life and I’m sure this will continue to grow as the staff are always there for him and nothing is ever too much trouble.
“I’m so grateful to David Unsworth for taking the time to call Logan and thank him.
“As soon as Logan met David he wanted to be like him and David took him under his wing and invited him to Goodison as his special guest – it was a wonderful gesture from a wonderful man.”