Joy and Phil scoop senior person awards

TWO retired volunteers received public recognition for their services to the community in the Bexhill Senior Person of Year Awards.

Joy Doswell and Phil Lee received Award certificates and prizes from MP Greg Barker at Canford Healthcare’s Ashridge Court Care Centre, Barnhorn Road, on Friday June 29.

Mr Barker, MP for Bexhill and Battle, who was accompanied by his dachshund dog, Otto, named Joy Doswell of Church Street, as the 2012 Bexhill Senior Person of the Year. The second prize went to Phil Lee of Cranston Avenue.

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Joy, 78, who has been married to Don, 81, for 57 years, said she had no idea who nominated her for the award. Joy spearheaded the Pebsham cubs and scout groups in 1973 and still plays an active part in the day-to-day running of the groups. She works with a group that invites elderly people out to tea, helps at the Alzheimer’s Society, volunteers at Bexhill Community Centre and the Old Town Preservation Society, participates in the Hospice Open Gardens and volunteers on the local police panel. This is alongside helping to look after several elderly neighbours who need help with chores and shopping.

She said: “I am totally overjoyed. I feel very honoured, but I know there are also lots of other elderly people in the area that do equally as much as I do.”

Phil Lee, who was nominated by his partner Linda Fernando, was also delighted to have received public recognition. Phil, 65, is the chairman of the Bexhill, Hastings and Rother branch of Parkinson’s UK. He is also vice-chairman of the Bexhill Town Forum.

He said: “I am very humbled to have received this award. Bexhill has 43,000 residents and I feel that by channelling their views at the town forum on all the major changes that are happening in the area - I am playing my small part in giving them a voice.”

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Climate change minister, Greg Barker, paid tribute to the duo by saying that they were the unsung heroes of society. Mr Barker said: “It is people like you who make the world a better and a much happier place to be for so many of those whose lives you touch. You devote so much of yourselves and your precious time doing endless deeds which make such a huge difference in society.”

He added: “It is a pleasure for me to be here today and to recognise your achievements.”

After the prize giving the winners, along with the MP and more than 60 friends and relatives enjoyed a cream tea.

Joy received an all expenses paid trip to London, a tour of the Houses of Parliament and a gourmet lunch for two as her prize. Jenny Aaron, of Grange Court Drive, was the lucky winner of the £100 spending voucher drawn at random from the all those who put forward nominations.

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Now in its second year, Bexhill’s Senior Person of the Year Award is run by Ashridge Court Care Centre and the Bexhill Observer.

For more information and further photographs visit: www.ashridgecourt.co.uk/

PICTURED: Winner Joy Dowsell with MP Greg Barker and Michelle Murchar

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