High Achievers win awards

The second annual Bexhill Achievers Awards presentation night at the Mermaid on Monday celebrated and honoured "those who do."

The words were those of Chamber of Commerce and Tourism president Malcolm Mitcheson, compere for an event designed to highlight the efforts and achievements of organisations and individuals contributing to the chamber goal of "Making Bexhill Better."

Taking part in the evening were finalists in six categories of achievement.

Their contributions to town life were catalogued by representatives of the team which had the unenviable task of reaching judgments on some outstanding nominations.

Chamber executive member Janet Towner originated the concept of the Bexhill Achievers Awards and organised the event. She recalled her frozen feet as she judged the chamber-sponsored Best Window Display category at Christmas. The class netted a whopping 39 entries.

The Stewart Gallery took the winner's cup with Absolutely Flowers and Bexhill Lighting and Gift Centre as runners-up.

For 25 years, Bexhill Talking Newspaper Association volunteers have maintained a free weekly tape recorded news and current affairs service for local blind and partially-sighted people. The BTNA took the NatWest-sponsored Best Customer Service Award with Drays audio and video specialists and Bexhill Lighting and Gift Centre runners-up.

The Making Bexhill Better Award, sponsored by the Sackville Partnership, went to the League of Friends of Bexhill Hospital, currently celebrating its golden jubilee year and a massive 5m invested in helping local patients and staff.

Glyne Gap special needs school, the only school in the county to be judged as "excellent" by Ofsted inspectors, was runner-up together with the DIY team which took over Little Common branch library when the county council withdrew the service at Easter. In less than four months volunteers have increased book borrowing by a third.

Competition was so tough in the Old Town Preservation Society-sponsored Best Sports Success category that judges awarded the top accolade jointly to Bexhill Junior Handicapped Swimmers and Bexhill Rowing Club, making a return to the podium for a second year after an even better season.

Runner-up was disabled sportsman Michael Ishola, from St Mary's special needs school.

Though not present to receive his award, Michael's moment came in the Young Achievers Award category, another OTPS-sponsored class. Society chairman Michael Kent and secretary Pauline Bullock announced his joint win with young achiever Kayleigh Gray, 15, nominated for her dogged and cheerful defiance of disability.

Runner-up was 12 year-old moto-cross champ Lewis Bridger.

The Best Community category sums-up what the Bexhill Achievers Awards seeks to celebrate - the people who dedicate their time to the good of the community.

Jill Halsall was nominated for the countless hours she has devoted as organiser of Bexhill Caring Community, the charity which supports the elderly and housebound, and her work for Bexhill Friends of the Elderly.

Former chamber president Steve Ayres was nominated for his work for the chamber and for his dedication to Bexhill Regeneration Partnership as chairman of its town centre and tourism action group.

Jan Wicks was nominated for her decade of service as chairman of the League of Friends of Bexhill Hospital, her chairmanship of the Pavilion Trust and her many years of work as a local magistrate.

Though the 107.8 Arrow FM cup went to Jan Wicks this was truly an evening where there were no losers and the real winner was the local community which has benefited from the efforts of those nominated for Bexhill Achievers Awards.