Surprise award for servant of Sidley

But their surprise was nothing compared with that which was in store for community association chairman John Izzard.

Julian Avery and his wife Quenelda paid their second visit to Sidley Community Centre in a month on Saturday, the High Sheriff wearing his velveteen suit with knee breeches and carrying his sword of office having just attended the Magistrates' Court open day at Eastbourne.

Their first visit - when the High Sheriff was conventionally dressed - had been to attend the official opening of the 650,000 centre by Town Mayor Cllr Stuart Earl.

Parents gathered in the community centre hall for Saturday's visit, part of an open day to show Sidley families what the Rainbow Centre can offer.

Photographs tracing five decades of child care at the centre graced the hall. For the benefit of newcomers, Community Association chairman John Izzard repeated the potted history he had given at the opening ceremony - how the association had been formed in 1949 and how a nursery had been established in the early 'Fifties to serve the young families of Sidley.

A succession of dedicated workers had run the nursery from an old gymnasium at the rear of the centre.

The nursery had remained independent until taken over by the community association in 1991.

The Rainbow Playgroup had been formed in 1992, last year becoming the Rainbow Child Care Centre.

The chairman repeated his tribute to workers who between taking over the impressive new Sure Start-funded building at Christmas and the first children being admitted in January had prepared it for use and thanked both the architect and the builders.

Then the High Sheriff stepped forward in his finery.

He told guests: "This is not the first time I have been to this centre. I came to the opening and I was deeply struck by lots of things.

"The first was the very special nature of Sidley.

"I was deeply by the very special identity and sense of community that there is here.

"I was also very deeply struck by the huge number of people who have put a great deal into making this centre work.

"It also struck me that there is one person who has been constant through many years - the gentleman standing on my right.

"Communities like this are highly dependent on very special people and in John Izzard we have someone who is a very very special person indeed.

"One of the things open to me as High Sheriff is that I am able to make a High Sheriff's Award for people who have put into the community a particular contribution.

"I have done this only once or twice in my year of office and it occurred to me that John Izzard is one person very deserving of this award."

To applause, the High Sheriff read out the wording of the award, acknowledging John Izzard's great work and valuable service to Sidley.

The chairman told the High Sheriff: "I am delighted to accept this award. I can only add that I am just a catalyst."

He'd had the privilege of working with superb community association council and superb staff led by chief executive Margaret Lea.