Sunlighter of the Year 2021.
The Sunlighter of the Year Awards 2021.
‘His career was inspired by the highest ideals of public spirit and service to his fellow men’
– Lever Brothers’ Board of Directors, May 11, 1925
This description of Port Sunlight’s founder, William Lever, highlights the value he placed on a powerful social consciousness. It is a value that we are proud to say persists here to the present day.
The Maggie Sparks Sunlighter of the Year is an annual awards celebrating the legacy of Lever’s belief in public spirit. It allows us all to thank the extraordinary individuals and groups who make Port Sunlight such an inspiring place to live, work and visit.
Last year we expanded the awards categories to recognise the incredible range of activity, contribution and commitment that took place in and around the village during 2020 and 2021.
The Categories and nominations were:
- The Maggie Sparks ‘Sunlighter of the Year’ Award
The Maggie Sparks ‘Sunlighter of the Year’ Award recognises the outstanding contribution that an individual has made to the Port Sunlight community through voluntary contribution.
Nominations:
Dave Lay.
Judith Bond.
Barbara Birch.
Donna Pearson.
The winner is Judith Bond.
Judith Bond has grown up in the village and like her parents, who were also devoted members of the Port Sunlight Community, she has given here time to support others as well as the village itself. Over the last 18 months, Judith has been an active member of several groups that formed during lockdown, from litter picking to collecting shopping and medical supplies to being a friendly voice at the end of the phone or indeed in person. In addition to this, Judith has supported PSVT’s community activity programme by leafleting and instigating community events such as the flowerpot men Competition and the Tuesday Table, during lockdown Judith supported fellow allotment holders that were shielding by marinating their plots and delivering fresh fruit and vegetables to them, she went further by helping out on our Community allotment, picking and packing fruit and veg each week which was then delivered to Bridge Cottage Community Hub so that residents could collect and enjoy for free, the list of goes on and on as Judith voluntary contribution to Port Sunlight continues, following in the footsteps of her parents and their passion for Port Sunlight and the people within it.
The ‘Sunlighters of the Year’ Team Award
The ‘Sunlighters of the Year’ Team Award recognises the outstanding contribution that a group has made to the Port Sunlight community. This might be an organisation, a society, a community or social group, a school, or even a family.
Nominations:
Lyceum Brass Band.
Sunlight Stitchers.
The Ice Breakers.
The winner is the Sunlight Stitchers.
The Sunlight Stitchers are a group that is well known in Port Sunlight , notably for their colourful and creative Yarm Bombing interventions that pop up across the village, but their also a group that really support one another, and this was very noticeable during lockdown when the group ensured that they still met each with, even if it was through video calls. They also still managed to fundraise and support the PSVT’s Community activity programme as well as working on their own personal projects.
- Covid-19 Special Recognition Award
The Covid-19 Special Recognition Award will recognise the exceptional responses that individuals and groups have made in helping our community to address the challenges presented by the coronavirus outbreak.
Nominations:
Port Sunlight People Project.
Anna Grace Du Noyer.
Simon Evans.
The winner is Port Sunlight People Project.
The Port Sunlight People Project came about as a response to the pending lockdown and the Covid-19 Pandemic emerging in March 2020. Resident Anna Du Noyer created the group and signed up healthy willing village residents to support those at risk in our community, with support they were able to ensure each household was each given the details of the help that was available to them over the coming months, such as help with dog walking, food shopping, food parcels, prescription runs and mental health check ins. The group had over 60 community volunteers responding to up to 25 calls and requests for help each day. An incredible achievement under the circumstances we were all under.
Well done to all.
