Three Brightlingsea residents have been recognised in Tendring’s own version of the New Year’s honours list – the Pride of Tendring Awards.
Alan and Vida Dingwall, Susie Jenkins, and Colin Gould are among 21 recipients of the Tendring District Council-run awards, which aim to celebrate people who make a real difference to their communities. Winners are nominated by district councillors.
All the recipients will be officially celebrated and presented with their award at a special ceremony at Clacton’s Princes Theatre, being held on Thursday, 9 February 2023. Details of the Brightlingsea winners are given below.
Alan and Vida Dingwall – Nominated by Jayne Chapman
Alan and Vida live in a former warden controlled complex, and since the wardens were withdrawn have looked after the residents.
They are on call 24/7, do repairs, sit with residents and take them shopping, to the doctors or fetch prescriptions. Realising some residents were alone they organised weekly coffee mornings, and join the Hospice Open Gardens weekend – raising hundreds of pounds annually. Whenever there is a fundraising event you can rely on Vida to appear with her famous pineapple and fruit cake.
Alan is also the chairman of YMCA Brightlingsea, past chairman of the Guild of Freeman, works for Elmstead Parish Council as a groundsman, and was also an organiser and treasurer for the Volunteers of Thorrington Mill.
Colin Gould – Nominated by Mick Barry
A well-known and respected local businessman, Colin has a long history of supporting Brightlingsea causes. In addition to being Chairman of the Royal British Legion branch and running the town’s Rugby Club he provides financial and practical support to many organisations and events; including donating a Christmas tree to the town every year, helping the free music festival, and sponsoring other community projects.
Colin rarely says no and will always find a way of making things happen for the benefit of the Brightlingsea community, where he has had a lifelong involvement.
Susie Jenkins – Nominated by Graham Steady
A passionate defender of wildlife, for the past six years Susie has dedicated herself to improving our environment and ecology.
Susie founded Cobnuts, an eco-arts collaborative providing free arts and nature-based activities; their Alresford sculpture won a DEFRA Bees Needs Award. Cobnuts runs sessions for numerous community groups.
Susie set up Brightlingsea Nature Network, coordinating conservation days, and in 2022 Susie was a co-founder of Mending Matters, a volunteer-run refill shop selling eco-friendly products and hosting free activities to reduce waste.
Active in Brightlingsea Town Council’s Nature Recovery Group, Susie is also Chair for the Neighbourhood Plan Environment Working Group.
