COMMUNITY heroes across Whitehill & Bordon were honoured at the town council’s annual meeting on Tuesday.

Chairing the meeting, Whitehill & Bordon town mayor Katie Anscomb praised the efforts of people and groups in the town.

She said: “For me this is one of those amazing things – it’s just a real honour to do something like this for the people around us.

“Hopefully, as we start to see our roadmap through the vaccinations and as we move forward, we will be able to get back to something that feels a little more normal.

"Something like this really only shines a light on a small number of people in that community, but particularly in the past year where things have been so challenging – whether you’re a key worker or whatever you do – so many people have given so much for each other.

“It’s been amazing to see how our community has been pulled together, even more so than it would normally.”

Many town councillors attended the meeting, as well as some of the recipients of the awards, which included pupils from local schools.

During the night, a total of 38 awards were handed out to young people, adults and organisations for their efforts during the past year, with nominations received from the public and local schools.

Seventeen youngsters from across the town were recognised in three categories; Youth Medal Winners, Youth Outstanding Achievement (runners-up) and the Youth Outstanding Achievement winner.

Taking the crown was Kamil Gaworucha, who was nominated for actions including supporting his younger brother through a long illness and being a “good friend to someone who had recently lost their mother” and being an “all-round good human being”.

Various adults also received an Adult Achievement Award, including St Matthew’s Church Reverend Alice Wood, Dr Anthony Leung and Sian Manning of the Whitehill & Bordon Community Trust.

Former British soldier Brian Wood was also handed the Special Achievement Award for “outstanding achievement in the face of adversity”.

Speaking at the meeting, Brian – who was awarded the Military Cross for his work in the Battle of Danny Boy and served on the front line for 17 years – said: “I am a little bit shocked. I don’t think I deserve such an award but I am very grateful.

“I do love where I come from within our village – I think we’ve got an incredible support network and I’m very, very humbled.”

Four groups – which was a new category for 2020 – from the town were also awarded; AJL Cars, The Bordon Food Bank team and the Whitehill & Bordon Voluntary Car Service all received medals, while the Bordon Buddies took the crown for Outstanding Achievement.

Cllr Anscomb said the Bordon Buddies had received multiple nominations for the awards.

Ally Lintott of AJL Cars said: “There are three of us at AJL Cars and we did all the prescriptions in the beginning. We just did what we could to help people who couldn’t get stuff – we’ve been keeping very busy helping where we can.”