Entire town is given special award

At the end of a challenging year in which good news helped raise the spirits in Arundel, it is fitting that the Duke of Norfolk has presented this year’s Arundel Community Award to theentireArundelcommunity.

The nomination was made byten-year-oldOscarMaitland, whoacceptedthecuponbehalf ofthecommunity.Hedeveloped theArundelGoodNewswebsite duringlockdownanddelivered hand-drawn posters and flyers around town to promote good news and share his love of the historic town.

Other nominees included the Arundel Book Exchange, The Kings Arms and Arundel Surgery.

To mark all the special achievements during an unprecedented year, a Roll of Honour was commissioned to displayallthenominees’names in Arundel Town Hall.

SadieRockliffe,community events co-ordinator, said: “The hanging of the honorary scroll will be a momentous occasion, marking a huge shift in public resolve, as street cleaners, a local fish and chip shop and neighbours of the elderly sit among the many mayors who have served Arundel over hundreds of years dating back to 1380.”

A Community Lifetime Achievement Award was also introduced for the first time, designed to recognise those who have given outstanding commitmentandservicetothe residentsofArundelovermany decades.

Aclosedceremonywasheld at Arundel Town Hall.

Arundel mayor Tony Hunt announcedthewinners,former councillor and past mayor Wendy Eve, Norfolk Estate manager Peter Knight and Arundel Museum volunteer Eric Nash, before Arundel town crier Angela Standing read out their citations and achievements.