People who have made an outstanding contribution to life in Dover in various ways have been honoured for their work at an awards ceremony organised by Dover Town Council and supported by the Mercury.

Nominations were invited for seven categories in the People of Dover awards which were then opened up for a public vote.

On Wednesday, the council chamber was packed for the awards ceremony itself, which was compered by businessmen Simon Crowley and John Little.

A shortlist of nominations was drawn up by a panel comprising Dover’s Deputy Mayor Ronnie Philpott, Dovorian David Mullan and Mercury editor Graham Smith. and were then put to the public vote.

Dover Museum curator Jon Iveson presented the award for outstanding contribution to Dover’s heritage to the Western Heights Preservation Society whose volunteers maintain the Napoleonic fortifications on the Western Heights and the area around the Grand Shaft.

The business award, presented by Graham Smith, went to the Dover Town Team which has launched a number of initiatives to boost business and tourism in the town, including the weekly Bluebird Market, and tackling problems such as empty window displays and closed down shops.

Dover Mayor Cllr Anne Smith presented the award for community and voluntary work to Kim Bladon who has been involved with the Pegasus Playscheme for many years, starting as a volunteer when she was 14. She is now the project volunteer child coordinator.

Described as an “inspiration and an unsung hero”, Kim said she was privileged to be a part of Pegasus.

Volunteers from the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership were the winners of the Beautiful Dover award, presented by Dover Society chairman Derek Leach.

WCCP project officer Melanie Wrigley thanked all the volunteers for their hard work, whatever the weather, over the past 24 years.

“We have the most iconic landscape in the world and the plants and animals that live here in the chalk downland are of international importance. With all its features, we should be a world heritage site,” she said.

The award for helping your neighbour went to Carol Capon who had devoted a lot of time to helping her neighbour who had a terminal illness and had subsequently died. The award was presented by David Mullan.

Kevin Fordham, deputy managing director of Your Leisure, presented the award for health, sport and wellbeing to Dick McCarthy who has been involved in football in the town for nearly 50 years.

Mr Fordham said it was important that more people undertook physical activity to benefit their health.

The final award was for a young person who had made an outstanding contribution to the town, and was presented by Cllr Viv Revell to Sarah Godden, 14, who attends Dover Taekwondo and who took the top honours in the 2nd Dan Black Belt Junior Division.

Committed to her sport, she was described as “an excellent example of what can be achieved by young people with hard work and determination”.

Mercury editor Graham Smith said he was pleased that the newspaper had been chosen as the council’s media partner for the awards which, he said, had been very successful.

“There are a lot of good things about Dover and it’s really good to give some of these unsung heroes some recognition,” he said.

Mayor Cllr Anne Smith thanked all those who had taken part, whether they had won or not. "The needs volunteers for everything," she said.

Full story and more photos in this week's Dover Mercury, out on Thursday May 9.

People of Dover awards