Village volunteer honoured with award
STALWART Stapleton village hall committee member Roy Stafford has been honoured for his years of service with a special award.
The long-serving former chairman and current social secretary of the village hall committee has been named winner of the Stan Pitt Community Award 2016 presented by Peckleton Parish Council on behalf of the people of Peckleton, Stapleton and Kirkby Mallory.
It is in recognition of years of behind-thescenes work, maintaining and improving the village venue, organising social and fundraising events and securing grants for major improvement projects, including new heating, lighting and the installation of a wheelchairaccessible toilet.
The award, to be given annually in memory of the former Peckleton Parish Council chairman who died in 2013, was presented to Mr Stafford at the council’s annual parish meeting by Mr Pitt’s widow June who won the award herself in 2014.
Clerk to the council Stuart Bacon said: “The purpose of the Stan Pitt Award is to recognise and publicly thank those who have voluntary improved the quality the life within the villages of Kirkby Mallory, Peckleton and Stapleton. Each of the communities benefit from those who put so much effort in to local groups and activities and the parish council wants to acknowledge and support their contributions.”
Nominations were invited from parishioners and a panel of parish councillors from each village ward met to make the final decision.
Mr Stafford, who stepped down as chairman of Stapleton Village Hall Committee in April this year, received an inscribed wooden shield to keep as well as a trophy shield which will be passed on to the next recipient next year.