Community Achievement Award

Community Achievement Award 2017

Looking at the list of winners of the Community Achievement Award over the years most, but not all, tend to be unfamiliar names, this reflects that a lot of these people do sterling work in the Community, quite often behind the scenes without any expectation of credit.   Jill Buchanan aptly describes them in her articles as ‘unsung Heroes’. The lady who has won the award this year certainly fits that description.

Mrs Ann Kerr the 23^rd recipient of the annual Community Achievement Award is an unassuming lady who shies away from the limelight.  A Falkirk ‘Bairn’ she grew up in Griffith Street and was educated at Falkirk High School.  After graduating as a teacher Mrs Kerr taught in local schools before teaching at the Glasgow Deaf School for 8 years, which she describes as the most fulfilling of her teaching career.

Mrs Kerr was nominated for the Award for her sterling work with Motor Neurone Disease over the last 18 years, fundraising for MND Scotland and for her continued personal support for individuals suffering from this illness, and their families.   Until recently she was a board member for MND Scotland and was instrumental in founding the Central Scotland branch of which she was Chair person.   They have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the Charity.  She was recognised in 2015 with a British Empire Medal.

Tragically Mrs Kerr lost her husband and almost three years later a son to this terrible illness.  She has managed to show her commitment to MND whilst not having had the best of health herself in the past, having had major surgery for cancer on a number of occasions.

Community Achievement Award 2016

Nancy Ramage is the latest "Unsung Heroine" to win the trophy and receive a cheque for £400 to hand over to her charity.

She is a committee member of the Grangemouth branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; ran a "Nearly New" shop in the town and raised £7,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust; she is a supporter of the RNLI and still does street collections for the Charity; she has been a member of the WRVS for over 30 years and has been involved in Meals on Wheels and the Hospital Trolley. In addition to all of that she continues to help at the Talbot House Day Centre for the elderly.

A past President of Grangemouth Inner Wheel, Nancy is also the main organiser of The Rotary Club of Grangemouth's annual Coffee Morning.

Proposing her for the Award Muriel Gray described Nancy as "a lady who just can't say no when asked to help others".

The guest speaker at the Rotary meeting when the trophy was presented was Dennis Canavan. Dennis was delighted to accept the invitation to present the Trophy on behalf of the Club.

Nancy intends to divide the £400 between Grangemouth Old Peoples' Welfare Committee, RNLI, Girls Brigade Grangemouth and Boys Brigade Grangemouth.

Community Achievement Award 2015

President Andrew Dawkins, Jill Buchanan (Falkirk Herald) and Colin MGeoch (Phoenix motor group) present the Community Achievement award Trophy to Mrs Anne Lowe, Volunteer Community Co-ordinator (VCC) for Grangemouth Community Care on 26 Nov 2015.

As well as the engraved trophy she received a cheque for £400.00 which was made payable to Grangemouth Community Care

Throughout Ann’s adult life she has always been involved in caring for the elderly.  It started off with caring for elderly neighbours and assisting them with everyday tasks, prior to   training as a nurse (whilst raising 4 children).  She worked in Falkirk Royal Infirmary and Bellsdyke Hospitals where her career focus was caring for elderly patients. She left NHS and went on to open and manage a Nursing Home with her late husband.

Post retirement around 10 years ago Anne took up the position of Volunteer Community Co-ordinator for Grangemouth Community Care post retirement.  The range of duties of the VCC are wide and varied.   Some of the specific tasks Anne carries out on a regular basis include:

• Supporting volunteers at a day care centre for the elderly one day a week at a hall in  the grounds of St Mary’s Episcopal Church , where she also regularly helps out
• Similar role at Talbot House, Grangemouth  where she arranges for a team of volunteers two days a week to provide lunches and social contact; where she again helps out on a regular basis
• Completion of  application forms, telephone calls, liaison with carers & arranging transport

Anne was nominated by her daughter Alison Cornwall. Quote from nominee “Her Life is all about helping others which she does because she cares about people”

Community Achievement Award 2014

President Robert Spears presents the Community Achievement award Trophy to Mrs Margaret Coutts from Falkirk and Central Scotland Samaritans.

Jill Buchanan representing the Falkirk Herald and Colin McGeoch from Phoenix Honda are in attendance confirming their commitment to this annual event.