In partnership with
32West
AFTER an absence of six years, the Heart of Ulverston Awards returned with a bang.
Entertainment at the glitzy, invite-only awards ceremony at the town’s stunning Coronation Hall was provided by The Singing Waiters who shocked the crowd when they duly burst into song while acting as waiting staff on the night.
The awards celebrated the great and good of Ulverston across all areas of the community, and there was rapturous applause throughout the evening as the worthy award winners were announced to collect their trophy in the form of a unique glass bowl created by the world class glass blowing experts at Cumbria Crystal.
Helping the night flow seamlessly, BBC Radio Cumbria presenter Darren Milby was the perfect host and he proved a hit with the audience with his entertaining and engaging anecdotes.
Ulverstonians have been overjoyed to see their annual awards return for the first time since 2018, and it was a real community effort with individuals, businesses and organisations all coming together to make sure the event was one for all the town to cherish.
After PR and communications agency 32West launched a campaign to bring the awards back, there was no shortage of offers of help to make the 2024 one of the greatest held.
Businesses across the town, and other parts of Cumbria, threw their weight behind the awards with UlverstonBID and Cumbria Teaching Agency the headline sponsors.
Read on to find out more about the amazing stories of those wonderful people and businesses who were crowned your Heart of Ulverston winners in 2024.
Outstanding Courage Award - Sponsored by Chattaway Inns
A new award was incorporated at this year’s event to mark the amazing bravery of two outstanding people in the community.
Emily Porter richly deserved the Outstanding Courage Award and she was able to share the accolade with Oliver Goodings, who received the Young Courage Award - a trophy introduced at the judging stage to make sure both were rightly recognised.
Eight-year-old Oliver is a courageous young lad who was born with multiple health conditions including spina bifida, Talipes, dislocated hips and only one kidney functioning at just 6%.
But despite being on dialysis four times a week while he awaits a kidney transplant, he always has a smile on his face when playing with his friends, riding his custom made bike or watching his older brother Thomas play for Ulverston Rugby Club.
He is a brave lad who gets on with life and lives it to the full despite his difficulties.
At the age of 22, Emily is an amazing role model and created a new Girlguiding badge, Twinkle for Heather Challenge following the loss of her sister Heather to suicide.
She has shown a great amount of bravery to openly discuss her struggles with grief and anxiety, and has helped thousands of Girl Guides to engage in tasks and strategies which support positive mental health and wellbeing. The project has also been rolled out into schools and colleges.
Emily has become a great advocate for mental health to people across the UK, and is a huge inspiration to many young girls across Cumbria.
Helping Hand Award - Sponsored by Ramsay & Roberts Eyecare Excellence
Community is firmly at the heart of pub landlord Stuart Ward who is always lending a helping hand to the local people who need it most.
Stuart runs the popular Miners Arms pub in Swarthmoor, but he goes over and above to make sure that vulnerable people in the area don’t feel isolated.
His commitment to helping people was never more evident than during the Covid-induced lockdowns, when he would provide hot meals and deliver them to the doors of people unable to get out of their homes.
But it wasn’t just food he transported. Stuart took it upon himself to provide lifts to vulnerable people whether they needed to get their Covid vaccinations, make hospital appointments, get their shopping done or even if they just needed some much-needed company.
This amazing service didn’t end when the country came out of lockdown, and Stuart still provides a regular delivery service of fish and chips to infirm and elderly residents in the area.
The nomination form to the awards summed him up perfectly: “Stuart is just generally a good guy; loud, but a good guy!”
Citizen of the Year - Sponsored by Westmorland and Furness Council
The co-founders of Ulverston Resilience Group, Caroline Smith-Dance and Neil Fleming, shared the limelight as they were jointly named the recipients of the Citizen of the Year Award.
Neil and Caroline were instrumental in setting up the group in 2020 to help vulnerable people during the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering meals, shopping, collecting post and carrying out odd jobs around the home.
A band of community-spirited volunteers were enlisted to join the team, and the group continues to make sure all members of the community receive a high level of support and care from fellow residents.
Both Caroline and Neil are selfless individuals who put the needs of others before their own, and they are regularly seen helping out at events across the town.
Even through her own challenging circumstances when she was diagnosed with cancer and lost her father, Caroline remained approachable to help others and her door was always open - and always with a smile.
Neil is a man with many hats and is on the committees of the Dickensian Festival and Retro Rendezvous, is one of the organisers of the Keswick to Barrow Walk and the editor of the popular Ulverston News.
Community Group of the Year - Sponsored by JF Hornby & Co Chartered Accountants
What started out as a group to support local people through the Covid-19 lockdowns has grown into a vital lifeline to vulnerable people living throughout Ulverston.
Ulverston Resilience Group has attracted a large group of volunteers assisting local people, from providing company to isolated individuals, shopping on behalf of elderly people or those with mobility problems and providing transport to get people to hospital appointments.
When formed in 2020 in response to the outbreak of Coronavirus, an enormous army of 300 volunteers were always on hand to help with vaccination control so everybody was able to get their jabs.
Group members handed out a staggering total of 15,000 leaflets to people in South Cumbria offering help to those who were shielding and/or vulnerable.
Ulverston Resilience Group was praised in the nomination process for the expert stewarding of members during the many festivals or events held in the town, and for its swift and professional response to any unexpected incidents.
Neil Fleming, who co-founded the group along with Caroline Smith-Dance, was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2022 for the great work the group carries out in the local community.
Sports Volunteer of the Year - Sponsored by LOCALiQ
Mark Knagg is a popular coach at Ulverston Otters Swimming Club - so much so that he received multiple nominations from grateful swimmers, parents and grandparents.
Mark dedicates a total of 18 hours each week to coach young people and adults over eight sessions, often starting his day at 6.30am and then returning to coach in the evening.
Through his coaching, he is able to motivate and inspire his students and many have gone on to achieve some great things in the pool, and compete at a national level.
A popular addition to the club is a swim training camp to Lanzarote arranged by Mark.
Among the many testimonials Mark received includes the following: “His influence on the development of the swim club members as they grow reaches beyond their sporting talent and will certainly influence their resilience and strength of character in the future.”
Another impressed swimmer said: “Mark inspires me in ways he doesn’t even realise as he gives up his time to coach us to become better at the sport we love. Mark doesn’t just tell us how to move faster through the water; he sets us up to thrive in life.”
Employee of the Year - Sponsored by Bender UK
Suzanne Cunliffe’s commitment to her role as head housekeeper at Black Beck Caravan Park at Bouth has proved inspirational to her managers and colleagues.
During some exceedingly difficult times personally when she cared for her ill husband who sadly recently passed away, Suzanne still turned up for every shift, even when advised to have some time off and rest up after tough nights at home.
Suzanne’s determination to never let anybody down saw her carry out a job to the highest standard even after being up all night caring for her husband on many occasions, endless trips to the hospital and dialysis appointments before work.
Her boss at Black Beck says it best: “Sue deserves this award as I don’t know anyone who would have been such a dedicated employee as she has been whilst going through such a sad time in her life.
“She puts everyone first before herself and, as a team and her boss, we would love to give something back to her and let her know how much we love her.”
Suzanne’s late husband would certainly be proud of the dedication and commitment she shows to all, and agree how deserving she is of this award.
Hospitality Venue of the Year - Sponsored by Bluebell and Ivy
Ulverston has a wealth of amazing hospitality venues for a town of its size and, according to local residents, the Orangery Cafe is the best of a great bunch.
The public were asked to choose their favourite hospitality venue from a shortlist of five, and they certainly showed their support for their top places to visit as more than 1,500 votes were cast.
Open seven days a week, the Orangery is based in the headquarters of charity St Mary’s Hospice and provides a wonderful range of options to cater for all tastes: whether breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea.
The Orangery Cafe and Gift Shop is always a hit for somebody wanting a bite to eat, equally as popular with hospice inpatients as with guests for its delicious, restaurant quality food.
The entire Orangery team, from kitchen staff to the volunteering waiting team, provide excellent service with a smile - and some of the best homemade cakes in town.
Having the cafe and gift shop helps bridge a vital gap between the wider Ulverston community and the services the hospice provides, and is a great step to educating more people about the wonderful healthcare provision on their doorstep.
Business of the Year - Sponsored by Rachael Bell Wealth Management
Chippy Bank is a name synonymous with Ulverston.
This fantastic family-run chip shop has been serving the town for 45 years, remaining a constant even in times of huge change and upheaval.
The business provides a choice of eating in or taking out, with both options proving just as popular with its loyal customers.
Chippy Bank, located in a prominent town centre location on King Street, is described as a ‘local gem’ and has been praised for how well-presented the shop always is.
The business has grown a big following on social media for its fun and engaging posts, and that all adds to the colorful character of such a popular and well-respected establishment.
The nominator said: “Imagine how many portions of fish and chips have been served over the years. You can always guarantee service with a smile whether you’re taking away or eating in, and the food is always top notch.”
The Chippy Bank - Ulverston’s Business of the Year for 2024 - is open six days a week from Monday to Saturday, so form an orderly queue.
Business in the Community Award - Sponsored by Ulverston BID
HP Activities is a leading provider of physical education and sports activities in schools across Cumbria, and was started during the Covid-19 pandemic when sporting sessions were difficult to run.
The business has gone from strength to strength during its short history, and its team of experienced and professional staff promote community inclusion and engagement by delivering a wide range of inclusive activities to cater for all ages and abilities.
Examples of helping more young people into sport include the popularity of sessions promoting and developing girls football and disability cricket and table cricket across Ulverston and Furness.
HP Activities, which runs holiday clubs, is constantly expanding and bringing new activities to the community, making sure as many young people can experience as sport as possible.
A testimonial to its founder Hannah Paling says: “Hannah has done amazing things to promote all ages and abilities to the sporting world. She is an ambassador for women’s football and helps promote sport to all including supporting disadvantaged people into sport.”
HP Activities runs 15 sporting sessions at Cumbrian schools on a weekly basis.
Sports Performance of the Year - Sponsored by 32West
Jessica Bailey’s name is one to watch out for in years to come.
Not only is the teenage middle distance runner one of the most promising talents in UK athletics, she is one of the top prospects in the sport across Europe.
Jessica is only 17 but is already competing at U20 age level for England, and despite being plagued by injuries which saw her unable to train for six months, she enjoyed an incredibly successful past year.
The highlight of her campaign no doubt was seeing her cross the line as the 3000m champion at the Scottish U20 Championships.
Other notable performances include a silver in the English Schools’ Championships over 1500m and bronze in the U23 English Open Championships at 3000m.
She was unfortunate to just miss out on a medal with fourth place in the Commonwealth Youth Games (3000m) and she also starred in the SPAR European Cross-Country Championships by finishing eighth over 5km.
At open age, Jessica was runner-up in the British Cross-Country Challenge (4.4km) and third in the Trafford Grand Prix (both 800m and 1500m).
To top things off, not only is she a top athletics performer but also a lovely person.
Apprentice of the Year - Sponsored by Siemens Energy
Bart Wren is a believer in ongoing career development, and his commitment to continually learning his trade has impressed both his employer and the University of Cumbria, where he is currently studying.
Having already studied at another university, Bart decided to complement his full-time job with new skills developed through his ongoing Project Management course from university.
He has a drive to inspire other people in similar situations, and he and a couple of fellow students started a podcast series specifically aimed at apprentices to share knowledge and experience within their profession.
A particularly important topic discussed included isolation among ‘mature’ apprentices such as himself who may feel isolated among younger counterparts.
Bart’s lecturer said: “At university, Bart is an exemplary student. His work is always on time and to a high standard. He positively contributes to discussions in class. He sometimes asks challenging and difficult questions, but that is a good thing as he clearly wants to develop a strong understanding of the topics and their context.”
Believe it or not, Bart also manages to fit in a part-time job at The Old Friends pub!
Lifetime Achievement Award - sponsored by Ulverston Town Council
Jayne Kendall has given a lifetime of dedication to Ulverston as both a volunteer and an employee.
And her tireless work to make the town such a wonderful place to live was rewarded when she was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jayne has been a main focal point in Ulverston for decades and her involvement in the various organisations and events are too many to list individually.
Highlights include helping to found the popular Dickensian Festival which continues to go from strength to strength, and being a co-founder of Ulverston Resilience Group which was formed to help vulnerable people during Covid-19 and still provides a lifeline to residents in the community to this day.
Jayne is also a member of the Roxy Collective which helps run the town’s iconic Roxy Cinema, and she also volunteers at the Lantern Festival.
And we haven’t even mentioned her huge contribution to Ulverston Town Council as both a councillor and clerk.
It was a real touching moment when Jayne collected her Lifetime Achievement Award as, after all the hours she has dedicated to benefit the town over the years, the people of Ulverston were unanimous in their agreement that she was an extremely worthy recipient
Teacher of the Year - Sponsored by Cumbria Teaching Agency
The teaching profession is full of inspirational educators who can capture young people’s imaginations and help them fulfill their potential.
And this is particularly true of Alessandra Desbottes, the wonderful Deputy Headteacher at Ulverston Victoria High School.
Alessandra, who was a pupil at Victoria High herself, has dedicated 27 years to teaching and leading improvements at the school, and will enjoy a well-deserved retirement at the end of this current academic year.
She began her career in education as a maths teacher, progressing to Head of Department, before being promoted to Assistant Headteacher and then Deputy Headteacher.
Singing her praises for the amazing work she has done in inspiring future generations, the nominator said of Alessandra: “Her hard work and constant dedication to the school has been so appreciated by her colleagues, pupils and their parents alike.
“She goes above and beyond for the school and its community.”
After decades of service to the school she loves so dearly, she will be missed but her legacy will certainly live on at Ulverston Victoria for decades to come.
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