Last updated 12:43, Friday, 14 November 2008

COMMUNITY spirit was recognised at an awards ceremony last night.

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A number of South Cumbrian volunteers triumphed at the Cumbria Community Awards held at the Rheged Centre, near Penrith, which were organised by CN Group, parent company of the North West Evening Mail.

Marsh Street Arches and Garden project in Barrow scooped the Greener Communities Award, which was sponsored by Resource Cumbria.

The project saw volunteers turn a piece of waste ground owned by Barrow Borough Council into a beautiful public garden, with a children’s play area, planters, a water feature and barbecue. The project was nominated by Ian Bell, a trustee and director of the Marsh Street Arches and Garden Community Interest Company.

Graham Bromley, of Marsh Street, Barrow, won the Volunteer of the Year award, sponsored by Northern Vacuums Ltd.

In spite of a long standing health problem, Mr Bromley has done all he can over the past seven years to protect his community, from police work to setting up a local safety group.

His achievements are all the more impressive in the light of his debilitating chronic anxiety.

Mr Bromley regularly helps police as part of the Operation Street Safe project, as well as working with the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership. He has also been involved with the Marsh Street Arches project.

He was nominated by John Irving, of Cumbria Police, who recognised his work in making the area cleaner and greener.

Mr Irving said: “He’s putting the ‘neighbour’ back into ‘neighbourhood’.”

Coniston Community Development Centre came up trumps in the Community Business Award, sponsored by Low Level Waste Repository.

The group’s manager Barbara Hill has worked hard to keep the group going, working far longer hours than the two days each week for which she is paid.

The project teaches courses in food hygiene, first aid, languages and IT, and recently secured funding to buy two laptops to help teach elderly and disabled people at home.

Anne Hall, district councillor for Coniston and Crake, nominated Barbara. She said: “She is doing amazing work.”

Entrants were nominated by readers of the Evening Mail, Times & Star, Cumberland News, News & Star, Whitehaven News.

A panel of judges from around the county was given the task of deciding on the winners.