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The director of an arts festival of international renown and a man who clears litter from the shoreline without thought for recognition have been awarded for their contributions to a Kent village.
Dr Paul Edlin who is at the helm of the Deal Festival has received accolade from Walmer Parish Council.
Alas the award, given at a meeting in St Saviour's Church last week, was not for bringing international musicians to east Kent, it's for the educational legacy he has bestowed on residents of all ages.
Parish Council Chairman Cllr James Murray told councillors and members of the public:
"Walmer Parish Council is just the visible tip of a whole host of local volunteers who work behind the scenes to make life better for all of us.
"Some people have been doing such work for years, some were inspired by the Covid crisis to help raise fund for the NHS, to distribute food to those in need and much more.
"Tonight I have the privilege of handing out two Kent Association of Local Council's awards to two local residents whose little known contributions to our lives have been outstanding.
"There is only one award given each year so the recipients have to be special people to win them."
Dr Edlin, of Admiralty Mews in North Barracks, is one of a host of Deal Music and Arts Education programme volunteers who bring year round learning to the area independent of the 16 day festival each July.
Most notably the Bold as Brass workshops involve primary pupils from Deal and Dover being taught musical pieces which they perform to audiences at Dover Town Hall.
Cllr Murray praised the scheme for "bringing music into the lives of hundreds of people of all ages, many of whom has thought that music was beyond their reach."
On receiving the award - a certificate -Dr Edlin said: "I am honoured to receive this KALC Award for work within our community. My friend and colleague, Peter Cook, said: "It takes a community to raise a child” and Deal Music & Arts is very proud to be part of that community. And at a time like this, when we realise only too well how science is essential for life, we must recognise that it is the arts that make that life worthwhile.
"It takes a community to raise a child and Deal Music & Arts is very proud to be part of that community..."
Dr Edlin showed those present one of the blue and red plastic trumpets used to teach local children to play and then impressed everyone with a demonstration of just how good a plastic instrument can sound.
Last year's winner was not able to pick up his award because of pandemic restrictions.
Cllr Murray explained: "The 2020 Award goes to Mr Fred Upton who should have had this award last year and who has year after year patrolled Walmer Beach every day doing two things.
"Picking up small mountains of litter to keep the beach tidy and collecting any abandoned items - from cardboard to scrap metal - which he then arranges for Dover District Council to collect and recycle. "
"Mr Upton, of York Road, thanked the council for the award and explained that he did his voluntary work because it was needed to help keep Walmer looking good and "because someone's got to do it."
