Crawley community group scoops prestigious High Sheriff Award

DiverseCrawley were presented with the High Sheriff Award by Dr. Timothy Fooks on Friday at Crawley Museum.

The group, launched in 2017, aims to promote community cohesion, organise, host and promote events to celebrate the rich culture in Crawley, and raise funds for their programme of activities.

DiverseCrawley co-founder Marilyn Le Feuvre said: “Last year in October, which is Black History Month, we invited the High Sheriff because of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter story.

“We sat in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds and the High Sheriff said it was one of the most impactful things that happened to him last year.

“That was a great honour, him just accepting the invitation.

“We were not expecting it at all. He attended our virtual AGM which was in November, and that was an honour.

“I got an email on Monday saying that he’s chosen DiverseCrawley to get a High Sheriff Award.

“I am over the moon. I think it’s the best award that I’ve had so far and I’ve been doing this for 25 years.

“I’ve had such a great smile on my face. It’s wonderful.

“We will miss the High Sheriff because he only serves for a year. I’m hoping he will introduce us to the next one and we will have as great a relationship as we’ve had with him.”

Committee members represent communities ranging from India to the Chagos Islands, and every year each committee member showcases their own culture.

Now Marilyn is looking to bring all of Crawley’s diverse communities together to face the pandemic, and help the town back on to its feet.

She added: “Our communities are very reluctant with the vaccine, so we’re really trying to discourage vaccine hesitancy.

“Our diversity goes beyond culture because we even embrace disability, women’s groups, we celebrate International Women’s Day, and now we’re going to celebrate International Men’s Day this year.

“We’ve been working with a disability group in Crawley. They had a band and we invited them to be our guests of honour.

“We always bring communities together. Our aim is for community cohesion and just for people to understand and respect diversity.”

For more information on DiverseCrawley’s work, please visit diversecrawley.org.uk