BBC BERKSHIRE’s Make A Difference Awards saw Berkshire residents and groups commended for their community work at a ceremony on Friday, September 2.
Community champions and famous faces gathered for the awards ceremony at Reading Town Hall, which celebrates those who make a difference in the lives of the people in their area.
BBC Berkshire presenter and journalist Bridgitte Tetteh led proceedings as the master of ceremonies, saying: “We’ve got a Hollywood actor and Olympian among us.”
After a short introduction, a video speech by BBC director general Tim Davie thanked the “nine million people who engaged with this year’s awards” and congratulated all of the nominees.
The University of Reading’s Professor Parveen Yaqoob presented the Volunteer Award, which recognises an individual who has made a difference to their community.
It was awarded to Annie Hodgson.
Ms Hodgson leads a group called SPICE, which helps young people with specific physical requirements or learning difficulties to ice skate in Slough.
She said that the group was founded 20 years ago by her father and that her work with the group “just puts a smile on my face.
“The Community Group Award was presented by Reading FC Women’s side manager Kelly Chambers, who said that the work done by all of the nominees was “fascinating, and overwhelming.”
She awarded the trophy to Remap Berkshire Makeability, a team who creates bespoke items for people with physical challenges and make everyday life easier for people with disabilities.
The Fundraiser Award was presented by Reading’s own Paralympic medalist, snowboarder Ollie Hill.
The category was won by Ed Smith, who has been raising money for Victoria’s Promise, which supports young women and their families affected by cancer.
He explained that he began fundraising when his wife, Anna, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2017, just six months after giving birth to their daughter, Alba.
Anna died at just a year later, but Mr Smith said: “she raised more than £30,000 for charity in six months.”
He has embarked on a number of efforts to raise funds for the Victoria’s Promise since, including rowing across the Atlantic ocean in December 2021.
BBC Radio Berkshire’s Andrew Peach gave out the Great Neighbour Award to Briony Palmer.Ms Palmer petitioned to install barriers to make the weir in Victoria Park, Newbury, after the death of 3-year-old Dylan Milsom, who fell into the nearby canal in March 2021.
CBBC and news presenter Kirsten O’Brien presented the Key Worker Award, judged by Dani Harmer.
The award was given to Laura Mackie, who, through her work as a midwife, lends support to families of stillborn babies through the Butterfly Suite at Basingstoke Hospital.
The Environmental Award was given to Freely Fruity, an organisation which plants fruit trees to provide free, fresh fruit for people in Wokingham.
Actor Winston Ellis then presented the Together Award to Helping Hands, which recently saw a pop-up support service created in Shinfield Baptist Church.
Among the nominees for the Together Award was Berkshire Vision, for its work helping people with sight loss in Berkshire.
Berkshire Vision CEO, Laura Matthews, said that the nomination was “just amazing.
“We really never expected it, especially since it was actually the hospital’s eye clinic that nominated us – we had no idea.
“The Together category is all about creating real change for breaking down barriers, and that’s something we really tried to do, that whole idea of challenging perceptions of what people with sight loss can do.”
Kirsten O’Brien, who presented the Key Worker Award, said: “We spend a lot of mornings on the Breakfast Show hearing the brilliant things that people are doing.
“But ultimately, as humans, we just want to connect, to communicate, to see each other, and that’s what today has been all about.
“There’s been tears, and it’s been emotional– everybody that’s here is just incredible.”
She said that choosing between the nominees must have been incredibly hard, but that: “they’re all winners and they all are doing massively incredible things in their community.”
