Charities win awards from High Sheriff for their community work
The High Sheriff of West Sussex, retired solicitor Neil Hart, says he has ‘learned a lot’ during his year in office and his eyes have been opened to the amount of need in the county and the voluntary work that goes on to help.
Presenting the High Sheriff of West Sussex Awards 2022 at Wisborough Green Village Hall last Tuesday, he spoke of the very varied work being done by a huge number of volunteers across the county.
Mr Hart said: “What I really enjoyed about being High
Sheriffwastherolesupporting charities and organisations throughout the county and, frankly, just chatting. There is nothing better, as far as I am concerned, than having a good chat to find out what’s going on, what motivates people, what the issues are and where the problems are.”
Nine charities were recognised with the presentation of certificates and each will receive a £750 donation from the Sussex Community Foundation.
Mr Hart said: “You are an inspiration to us. I have learned a lot. My eyes have been opened.
“West Sussex is such a great place to live but there are those areas which need support. During the year, I have met over 200 charities and I have become a different person as a result. It has been a real experience.”
He said the work of each of the nine winners was very different but equally important and very valuable to the community.
He added: “Some of you have innovative models which are of interest to people in other parts of the county.”
Winners included Shout WSK, which runs street homeless outreach and Worthing Soup Kitchen; PACSO, a charity supporting children and young adults with disabilities in Chichester and the Arun district; and Spurgeons, a children’s charity that runs family support services at HMP Ford.
Other winners were Lifecentre, a Chichesterbased charity providing support and therapy for people who have had an unwanted sexual experience; Selsey Community Forum; East Grinstead Food Bank; Service Dogs UK, a West Sussex charity changing lives two at a time for veterans and rescue dogs; Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity; and The Bridge Cafe, a social action charity based in Crawley.