Over the past year, Suffolk’s unsung heroes who have gone the extra mile to help their communities have been showcased for their efforts.
For 60 weeks, we have highlighted the individuals who have made a real difference, to give them the recognition they deserve.
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The Community Leaders Programme has featured a whole host of people known for their tireless work to make their local area a better place to live - often without seeking recognition or praise.
Reflecting on the heart-warming project, Brad Jones, East Anglian Daily Times (EADT) editor, said: "For another year running, it has been an unprecedented time. This is why the Community Leaders Programme has been a breath of fresh air for us all.
"It has been a fantastic chance for us to shine a light on all the amazing people who do so much for their community - it has allowed us to give them the recognition they deserve.
"We were never short of candidates and the stories told were a constant source of inspiration. We have an incredible community in Suffolk, but we're only able to make people aware of it by shouting about it - something the EADT prides itself on doing and will continue to do so.
"We would like to take this chance to thank everyone who featured in the Community Leaders Programme - for letting us share their stories, and for everything they do."
From the group of people who clubbed together to provide PPE for frontline workers, to the individuals speaking out and raising awareness of mental health issues, many unsung heroes who have strived to improve the lives of others have been featured.
Meet some of our heroes
For Ruth Goudy, coronavirus lockdown was a way to give back to a community that has long supported her and her business.
Mrs Goudy and her husband Paul run the Kiln Farm Nursery in Kesgrave.
The nursery is home to both a garden centre and a farm shop, and it was the latter that would become key to the couple’s local community during lockdown.
It was on the eve of lockdown, however, that Mrs Goudy and her husband realised that they would have to change how their business worked.
The couple, along with members of staff from the shop, started putting together foodboxes to help feed members of the local community who might now struggle to get out and about.
A Kesgrave youth minister gave back to the community he grew up in.
Oliver Scase is the youth minister at All Saint’s Church in Kesgrave.
His role involves working with young people in the town, although he is associated with the church it does not limit what he does.
The bulk of Mr Scase’s time is spent looking after groups associated with the church.
One of these is the home group; the sessions involve young people sharing a meal together with the rest of the time spent discussing important topics.
Mr Scase uses social media platforms and even on occasions the streaming platform Twitch to help keep in touch with younger members of the community.
One of the latest additions to Mr Scase’s work is a new cafe, to be known as the Broom Tree Youth Café, which has been set up within the church to provide a place for the town’s youngsters to safely gather.
And finally, "love where you live" was the message Felixstowe environmental activist Debbie Bartlett sent to Suffolk residents on her mission to rid the county of harmful waste.
Mrs Bartlett is the founder of Litter-Free Felixstowe, a group with hundreds of members that meet up every few weeks and gets to work on cleaning up the seaside town.
She started the group in November 2018 after being inspired by the work of naturalist and historian Sir David Attenborough and the BBC’s Blue Planet documentaries, which highlight the impact litter can have on wildlife and the environment.
On arranging the group’s first litter picking event, Mrs Bartlett, who lives in Felixstowe, feared her plea for help would be ignored - but she was delighted to see the response from the community.
A big thank you
The EADT Community Leaders Programme creates partnerships between our newsroom and local businesses and organisations committed to investing back into the community through expanding local news coverage.
Working with local businesses through this programme directly supports local journalism, which we believe is essential to a healthy community.
We thank Adnams for its support with the initiative.
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