Search begins to find Peasedown’s 10th Sara Holley Community Award winner

Nominations have opened in Peasedown St John for the village’s Sara Holley Community Award – launched nine years ago in memory of one of its most popular res’dents.

In April 2011 Sara Holley, who was well known and respected for her love of the community, unexpectedly passed away at the age of forty-three.

Over many years she played a key part in numerous community projects, including her involvement with the first Party in the Park festival in 2009.

To remember Sara, the Party in the Park festival team, in partnership with her family, introduced the Sara Holley Community Award.

Sara’s son, Scott Holley, said: “We can’t believe nine years have passed by already. A day doesn’t go by when we don’t think about Mum, and so are grateful that the Party in the Park team organise this award every year. I know that our Mum loved the village and would have felt great pride having a community award named after her.”

Despite this year’s festival not going ahead because of the coronavirus pandemic, event organisers say it is ‘business as usual’ with this year’s 10^th Sara Holley Community Award!

Party in the Park Chairman, Nathan Hartley, said: “Our community has been through a lot over the last three months with the lockdown and pressures of not seeing friends and family. It has also been a time where various individuals and groups have stepped up to the mark and led the village through the pandemic. It’s these people that we want to honour this year!“

To be nominated as a potential recipient of the award, candidates must have:

1. Shown a visible display of community activism in Peasedown St John for, at least, the last 12 months.

2. Carried out their public service and in doing so demonstrated qualities of leadership, consensus building, and support for others.

3. Demonstrated a considerable amount of community activism that has made a difference to other members of the local community.

Treasurer of Peasedown’s Party in the Park, Joy Fraser, added: “As a Peasedown native, Sara loved our village immensely and always wanted the very best for it, and for those that live here.

“Those that had the pleasure of knowing Sara will have many happy memories that they’ll cherish forever. She is missed by everyone who had the opportunity to meet her, and those who are active in the community can continue to make the village she loved a better place.“

The award itself will be presented in September, in the form of a surprise presenation at the workplace or outside the home of the recipient.

Previous Winners

• In 2011 the Sara Holley Community Award was won by Andrew Day – a member of Peasedown St John Methodist Church who set up a Tuesday night youth group to provide more activities for local youngsters.

• In 2012 Joy Gosz was selected to win the Award after spending thirty years running a variety of community initiatives and projects for local people.

• Seven years ago, husband and wife team Martin and Lisa Smith picked up the award for the tireless work they have done to encourage teenage boys to get involved with football. They run Peasedown Youth Albion.

• In 2014, in recognition for an outstanding seven decades of voluntary work in Peasedown St John, Ken Wilcox won the award for his efforts to make Peasedown Cricket Club the thriving establishment that it is today.

• The following year, community stalwart Nina Philips was recognised for over 30 years’ service with the Brownies and Guides as a committed and dedicated leader.

• In 2016, the creator of the Somer Valley Foodbank, which has fed over 7,000 people in need of emergency food, Joy Fraser was awarded for her hard work.

• Three years ago, Paul Sly from Peasedown Albion won for his dedication to working with young people.

• In 2018, Linda Day was recognised for almost half-a-century of service to Peasedown St John Methodist Church and the wider Peasedown community.

• And finally, last year Jane Street (pictured) was named as the 9^th winner of the award. Jane has spent over 15 years working ‘behind the scenes’ at St John’s Church helping with community projects and initiatives.

More details about the previous winners can be found at the festival website.

Any member of the community can nominate anyone they believe meets the criteria.

All nominations must be received by the Party in the Park team by 5pm on Friday 28^th August. The Management Committee and Sara’s family will then use the criteria set to go through the nominations.

Nomination forms can be obtained by:

A) Emailing Nathan Hartley: nathan.hartley@peasedownpartyinthepark.org.uk or

b) Downloading an interactive copy by clicking here