THE efforts of two Saltford men to support their community have been recognised by the Bath Community Awards.
The awards to Graham Bush and Phil Harding were among those announced at a ceremony at Bath Guildhall.
Graham Bush became a member of Saltford Scouts as a cub in 1980 and has since shown unwavering commitment to empowering young individuals through his involvement with Saltford Scouts and the Wansdyke Scout District. He was named Willson Volunteer of the Year.
As previously reported in the Voice, Graham was nominated for the award by Saltford Parish Council (SPC), which said: “Graham has created a shining light on the diversity of Scouting in B&NES and opened up fantastic opportunities to young people who would otherwise miss out on the skills for life at the heart of the Scout movement.”
Phil Harding received the Peter Duppa-Miller Parish Award for his commitment and service as a Saltford parish councillor.
The parish council said: “As those that have attended SPC’s meetings or served on the parish council with him will know, Phil’s interest and understanding of Saltford and its residents is both wide-ranging and in-depth.
“SPC views this award as testament to all the time and expertise that he has provided to the parish council and the village during the past 10 years.”
The Keynsham Community Fridge team were highly commended in the Volunteer Team of the Year award category, after being nominated by Fiona Bell, a member of its management committee.
The volunteers gather produce from local food outlets and deliver it to the community fridge at Savour Kitchen on Temple Street for the public to collect.
The awards are organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council to recognise individuals or organisations who go above and beyond to support others.
Councillor Karen Walker, council chair, said: “The Community Awards serve as a platform to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of remarkable individuals and organisations within our community, allowing us to express our appreciation.
“We were thrilled to receive over 80 nominations across various categories, and your inspiring stories made the decision-making process quite challenging. Congratulations to the winners and those highly commended.”
Pictured top, Saltford Scouting volunteer Graham Bush (fifth from left) and Saltford parish councillor Phil Harding (fifth from right) with other Bath Community Awards winners and (middle front) B&NES Council leader Kevin Guy and council chair Karen Walker
Below, Colin McSherry and Trudie Mitchell, from Keynsham Community Fridge management team, receiving the ‘highly commended’ award from B&NES Council chair Karen Walker
