The Stray Ferret is the media partner for the St Wilfrid’s Stars Awards 2024, with our coverage kindly sponsored by Little Bird Made and Grantley Hall.
Nominations for Ripon’s 2023 St Wilfrid’s Stars Awards are open until Saturday September 30 and there is still time to nominate the organisations, individuals or businesses that you believe have made a positive contribution to enhance the life of the city.
The awards, bearing the name of the city’s patron saint, were launched by Ripon Together in the cathedral’s 1,350th anniversary year, to recognise the selfless giving of Ripon’s unsung heroes – many of them volunteers – who help others through their behind-the-scenes work.
Who received awards in 2022?
Here is a selection of last year’s winners.
In 2022, the Youth Award was presented by the Mayor of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke, to Rosie Sturt (pictured below) who led a team of young volunteers who have created a Lego Club at Ripon Library.
The aim of the club is to help young children to increase their social skills and confidence in the wake of the covid lockdowns.
A St Wilfrid’s Star was also presented to Sarah Jaques – a Ripon Library volunteer and co-ordinator – who won the community award for her tireless and dedicated work.
Her citation read:
“Without volunteers, there would be no library and there would be a great gap in the life of the city.”
For the overall 2022 volunteer of the year award the panel of judges selected Gloria Sturdy, who has devoted her life to supporting many causes in the city.
This includes the provision of lunches at Holy Trinity Church for people in need and sewing PPE kits for frontline workers during the pandemic.
The 2022 culture award was presented to the Ripon Theatre Festival organising committee, in recognition of it staging a highly successful inaugural performing arts event from a standing start.
Building on last year’s success the 2023 event, led by festival director Katie Scott (pictured above) again added considerably to the cultural life of the city.
Caroline Bentham, who has supported groups in Ripon through her community scrap fund, which raises money from the sale of recycled metal, received last year’s environment award.
As well as being a supporter of many good causes, she is an active Girl Guide Leader and an assistant county commissioner.
The 2022 St Wilfrid’s Star Award for tourism was presented to to Ripon Community Poppy Project, whose decorative work and detailed designs have delighted local residents and visitors to the city.
There was no bigger event in Ripon in 2022 than the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the army of non-stop knitters ensured that the city’s streets were wrapped in Royal bunting.
They went on to create a dazzling star-spangled backdrop for last year’s awards evening at Ripon Cathedral, while the trophies presented at the event were designed and produced by Jennyruth Workshops.
The St Wilfrid’s Stars of 2023 will be announced at a reception in the cathedral on the evening of October 26, where the names of every nominated individual, organisation or business will be on display.
Read more:
Harrogate’s Rossett School celebrates GCSE students’ success
Harrogate’s Rossett School has held its annual presentation evening in-person after covid forced it to take place online last year.
The event celebrates the achievements of last summer’s GCSE students in a range of academic subjects and other disciplines.
The guest speaker was Joe Joyce, a former chief executive in the manufacturing and construction sector, a director of finance in education and now the owner of his own local family brewing company,
Mr Joyce shared his personal philosophy on the importance of aiming high in life, before presenting GCSE and BTEC certificates, along with the awards and trophies.
Headteacher Helen Woodcock said it was wonderful to be able to hold the event in-person again.
“We are very proud of this year group. They were an excellent year in many different respects, not least in their management of the strangest of times — learning remotely and at school over the last two years — in order to be awarded their TAGs (teacher-assessed grades).
“Their achievements have allowed them to progress on to their chosen pathways, and we were thrilled to celebrate their many successes at the presentation evening.”
Read more:
- Birstwith school appoints new headmaster
- Academy status could lead to investment in Harrogate school, says head