A RESIDENT in Seend, Len Murray, who was a finalist at the BBC Radio Wiltshire Make a Difference Awards has been ‘Highly Commended’ for making it into the final four of the Great Neighbour category.
Len is the church warden at the Holy Cross church, a member of Seend’s annual pantomime performances and gets involved in other community activities.
He attended the awards ceremony on Saturday 23rd September, at STEAM, the museum of Great Western Railway, in Swindon with the two parishioners who nominated him, Jenny and Simon Phillips.
“Saturday afternoon was amazing,” says Len, “We were greeted in the Steam Museum by a high volume and high energy samba percussion band and then entered the Steam Hall via a stretch of red carpet. We were seated at tables of eight with other contenders and guests and enjoyed a traditional high tea – delicious!”
The winner of the Great Neighbour award went to Ben Thornbury, a teenager from Malmesbury for his efforts with litter picking around the area and campaigning for people to keep the community clean and tidy, including getting potholes fixed.
“I hadn’t realised the judges had sifted through a couple of hundred finalists to get down to the final four for each category,” says Len, “It was explained to us all attending that we were all ‘winners’ and as finalists, received a weighty perspex award for being highly commended if we didn’t actually come first. Very democratically done, in good faith and with kindness of spirit – something that was much in evidence at the event.”
Eight awards were presented by a panel of local celebrities including Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason; Swindon Apprentice star, Kathryn Burn; Paralympian Louise Hunt Skelly; and Time Team’s Phil Harding.
“The judge for my category was none other than Phil Harding wearing his characteristic hat over his long hair, he was popular with people asking to have their photo taken with him!
“It was inspiring to be among so many kind and generous people, all of whom seemed genuinely surprised and humbled to be there.”
The aim of the BBC Make a Difference Awards is to recognise those in the community that love to make life better for others.
