Dedicated Derek is ‘a saviour of the Dearne’
How a walk in the park prompted a decade of volunteering ...
RETIRED Derek Bramham is busier now than he ever was when he worked.
Derek is a familiar face around Thurnscoe and is a tireless champion of his community, playing a vital role in numerous groups and organisations, all striving to make the village a thriving place to live.
The former lecturer at Dearne Valley College, who is now 71, retired early and was strolling through Thurnscoe Park one day about ten years ago when he got chatting to one of the Friends of Thurnscoe Park volunteers.
She invited him along to help tend the grounds which he did, signalling the start of a decade of selfless and dedicated service to his community.
“My working career meant that the skills I had suited a lot of the work that needed to be done,” said Derek.
Described as ‘our super chef, our grant finder, our spokesperson and our main LGC award-winning volunteer’ Derek is held in high esteem by many.
He’s been the chair of Big Local Thurnscoe, which works to make Thurscoe a better place to live, for eight years.
The group’s priorities are to bring the community together, to have a community where everyone knows what’s going on and a healthy environment for everyone to enjoy.
Derek plays a key role in its work and his community involvement doesn’t end there – he is a founder trustee of its legacy organisation Thurnscoe
Regeneration CIO.
He is also the chair of the Goldthorpe Towns’ Deal Board and a member of the Dearne Area Council, a Houghton Road Community Centre committee member and a volunteer in Thurnscoe Flower Park to name but a few of his voluntary roles.
The Proud of Barnsley awards have received several nominations for Derek who has been nominated for the Community Hero award and in the Volunteer of the Year category.
One nomination said: “Overall, in my opinion, Derek is the BEST volunteer I’ve ever worked with,
“I’ve been in the community setting for 20 years and in every area of Barnsley. I have worked from Athersley, Darton, Hoyland to Penistone but by far the Dearne area covering Thurnscoe in Derek’s case is the most memorable for me as the volunteers are so passionate and care about everyone not just their own piece of work or project but the whole community and different sectors within it.
“Derek has a huge heart and looks after everyone who takes part in any event/ project we are working on, he’s our super chef, our grant finder, our spokesperson and our main LGC award-winning volunteer – just love him to bits, he’s our saviour in the Dearne and I could highly recommend him for this award as he’s a champion of champions in my eyes.”
Another nomination said: “Big Local Thurnscoe have been behind the investment and development of the Plaza area in Thurnscoe providing facilities for children and adults to equally enjoy helping to lift the area.
“They have been champions of Phoenix Park in Thurnscoe which hosts regular events including open air cinema evenings.
“Derek is a long-standing Thurnscoe resident and has invested a lot of his own time to develop and improve the area.”
Derek said: “I’m surprised but very honoured to have been nominated, it’s really nice that people have thought of me.”