The Directors of Community Lincs established the ‘The John Barker Trophy’ to recognise the work of those volunteers who, willingly and freely, give their time and effort to manage and maintain Lincolnshire community buildings.
Although John has now retired from volunteering for Community Lincs, he gave his support and technical advice to community building committees on subjects including property maintenance, new buildings, extensions and refurbishment of existing premises.
Every year in May, we invite community building management committees to nominate a volunteer who they consider has made an outstanding contribution to the management of their hall.
Community Lincs would like to take this opportunity to thank John Barker MBE, Mrs Theresa Tanner (the 2011 winner) and Rev Sandra Benham who were the 2012 judges. Our team of judges had a fantastic selection of nominations to look through, as follows:
- Malcolm Smith, The Venue @ navenby
- Alan Humphries, Harmston Memorial Hall
- Mrs Mary Abbott, Belchford & Fulletby Village Hall
- Mrs Pat Ingham, Friskney Village Hall
- Rob Thornton, Stubton Village Hall
- Vic Dolling, Kettlethorpe Village Hall
- David Robert Brown, Greatford Village Hall
- Mrs Jane Perkins, St Mary’s Church, East Barkwith
- Una Buckle, St Michael & All Angels Church of England Church
- Julia Shoukry, Dunston Village Hall
- Margaret Elms, Long Bennington Village Hall
The winner for 2012 was Mrs Mary Abbott of Belchford & Fulletby Village Hall.
According to members of the village hall committee ‘when you think of Belchford & Fulletby Village Hall you immediately see Mrs Abbott. She has been involved with the hall since before it even appeared as a wooden structure on the back of a lorry’.
‘Since the hall opened in 1979 she has been involved in groups such as the Pensioners afternoon sessions and play group, she assists with fundraising and is also tea lady, and for the past 15 years she has been our caretaker. Now at the age of 97 she looks after the hall as if it were her home’.
Belchford & Fulletby Village Hall committee has all this and a lot more to thank Mrs Abbott for over the past 33 years.
Mrs Abbott was presented with the trophy by John Barker at the Community Lincs AGM on 26th September 2012 at Waddington Village Hall.
Alan Humphries of Harmston Memorial Hall receiving his runner-up certificate.
Alan has lived in Harmston for over 20 years and has been involved in the hall for almost as many years and currently is the Treasurer.
The committee told us that his contribution is vast and as such the hall would not function as efficiently without him!
Mrs Jane Perkins of St Mary’s Church, East Barkwith, can be seen here receiving her runner-up certificate from the Chairman of East and West Barkwith Parish Council Mr Andy Sayers. 
The presentation was held in the village hall on 11th November just after the village service of remembrance. Thank you to Mr John Edwards the local press photographer for the picture.
Mrs Perkins has been Church Secretary for many years and over the past few years, Mrs Perkins has been the “public face” of the campaign to raise funds to make essential repairs to the fabric of the church, heating system and organ.
Vic Dolling can be seen here on the right receiving his runner-up certificate from Alan Straw, Chairman of Kettlethorpe
Village Hall. Vic has been on the committee for several years and has brought with him lots of practical experience. He has undetaken a number of tasks including designing and fitting safe storage for tables. If Vic was not always offering his help, the hall would not be in such good condition. This is a great way of showing him how much we appreciate it.
No comments yet.