Friday 29 June 2007
Community heroes are the champions

Unsung local heroes - including a teenager who helps offer youngsters an alternative to hanging around on the streets - have been honoured in an annual community awards.
Tanisha Boughton, 17, was among eight individual community champions and one group to receive certificates and cash as part of the Community Champions awards, run by Bedford-based housing association bpha.

Tanisha was presented with £100 for her work with Wootton Action Group, a local organisation which helps to improve the area, including highlighting activities to occupy youngsters instead of hanging around on streets.

Tanisha was involved in organising a fun day, in which youngsters were invited to try out different pastimes, sports and hobbies, including street dance and singing. She also helped to organize Streetwise Kidz, a street dance project.

Speaking at the event, Tanisha said: "I got involved with the group to help make Wootton a better place for young people. If there is nothing to do it just causes more trouble. The event helped to raise awareness of the positive things younger people can do."
The awards didn't just honour young people - the Fit@Sixty project users committee, which promotes exercise and wellbeing for older people, received £200.

Fit@Sixty first started five years ago as the brainchild of the project co-ordinator Janet Cook, who was then working as a warden in bpha's sheltered accommodation.
Offering older people the to chance to take part in activities like ten-pin bowling, line dancing and chair based exercise, the project quickly went from strength to strength.
Today more than 20 Fit@Sixty classes take place at bpha sheltered houses across the area.

bpha assistant community development manager Liz Robertson, who was one of the Community Champion judges, said: "The volunteers are all over the moon. This is a great project and very highly valued by older people in the community. We've heard from older people who found it difficult to walk but then found their mobility had improved immensely as a result of taking part in the activities."

Other winners in the awards included Balliol Community Action Group members Pam and Syd Norgate, and Sylvia Peacock, who works on a recycling project in Elms Farm and runs the local newsletter Golden Nuggets.

Now in its third year, bpha's Community Champions rewards people who have helped make their local area a better place for fellow residents.

bpha community development manager Maureen Baker said: "We are delighted to be able to honour people who are making a positive contribution to their community. The awards show that there are so many people who work hard every day to help make where they live a better place, and we want to show them that their efforts are appreciated and don't go unnoticed."