Awards
Over the past few years I have been fortunate to either receive awards myself or be involved in groups within the village that have achieved awards. In this section I would like to list just some of these and my involvement:
Over the past 15 years Hethersett has received the following awards:
2006 Eastern Daily Press Pride in Norfolk Community of the Year
2008 Eastern Daily Press Pride in Norfolk Community of the Year Runner-Up
2010 London Olympic Games Inspiration Award
2010 Eastern Daily Press Event of the Year Runner-Up
2011 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2011 Active Norfolk County Village Games Runners-Up
2011 Eastern Daily Press/Active Norfolk Sports Village of the Year
2011 Eastern Daily Press/Active Norfolk Sports Champion of Champions
2012 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2012 Active Norfolk County Village Games Runners-Up
2012 Eastern Daily Press Pride in Norfolk Community of the Year
2013 Prime Minister's Big Society National Award
2013 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2013 Active Norfolk County Village Games Runners-Up
2013 Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/Radio Norfolk, Norfolk Sports Village of the Year
2014 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2014 Active Norfolk County Village Games Winners
2014 Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/ Radio Norfolk Sports Village of the Year runner-up
2016 Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/ Radio Norfolk Sports Village of the Year runner-up
2020 Stars of Norfolk and Waveney Village/Town of the Year runner-up
Individual Hethersett groups and their awards:
2012 Hethersett Social Running Group named Run England Eastern Region Group of the Year
Hethersett Athletic Football Club holds the National FA Community Charter Standard Award
Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club holds the England and Wales Cricket Board Clubmark, renewed in 2014
Hethersett Hawks Cycle Speedway Club holds the national Go Ride standard
2016 Hethersett Dementia Group voted South Norfolk Council Community Group of the Year
Personal Awards
In 2012 I was one of six residents in South Norfolk to receive a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Inspiring Achievement Award for services to Hethersett over 20 years. I won the Inspiring Achievement Award for what was described as "an outstanding contribution to Hethersett over the past 20 years." Click here to see coverage from the Eastern Daily Press newspaper. Also in 2012 I was named Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club Clubman of the Year.
In 2013 I was also named a Champion of Norfolk at the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Show and received a certificate from television personality Jake Humphries.
In 2014 I was a runner-up in the Sport Volunteer of the Year awards organised by South Norfolk Council as part of their Community Awards.
In 2015 I was awarded the Lee Thompson Memorial Trophy for outstanding contribution to Hethersett Athletic Football Club. I was previously made an honorary life member of the club.
In 2018 I was awarded the Lee Thompson Memorial Trophy for outstanding contribution to Hethersett Athletic Football Club to mark my retirement. I was very proud to be only the second person to win the award twice.
In 2019 I was made an honorary vice-president of Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club after retiring as club chairman and development officer.
In 2020 I was honoured to be made an honorary member of the Royal Norfolk and Royal Anglian Regiment Association. This honour was bestowed on members of the Le Paradis Commemoration Group in recognition of their work to bring the death of 97 soldiers from the Royal Norfolk Regiment, the Royal Scots Regiment and others to public prominence and to raise awareness of Le Paradis Massacre of May 1940.
Over the past 15 years Hethersett has received the following awards:
2006 Eastern Daily Press Pride in Norfolk Community of the Year
2008 Eastern Daily Press Pride in Norfolk Community of the Year Runner-Up
2010 London Olympic Games Inspiration Award
2010 Eastern Daily Press Event of the Year Runner-Up
2011 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2011 Active Norfolk County Village Games Runners-Up
2011 Eastern Daily Press/Active Norfolk Sports Village of the Year
2011 Eastern Daily Press/Active Norfolk Sports Champion of Champions
2012 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2012 Active Norfolk County Village Games Runners-Up
2012 Eastern Daily Press Pride in Norfolk Community of the Year
2013 Prime Minister's Big Society National Award
2013 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2013 Active Norfolk County Village Games Runners-Up
2013 Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/Radio Norfolk, Norfolk Sports Village of the Year
2014 Active Norfolk South Norfolk Village Games Winners
2014 Active Norfolk County Village Games Winners
2014 Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/ Radio Norfolk Sports Village of the Year runner-up
2016 Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/ Radio Norfolk Sports Village of the Year runner-up
2020 Stars of Norfolk and Waveney Village/Town of the Year runner-up
Individual Hethersett groups and their awards:
2012 Hethersett Social Running Group named Run England Eastern Region Group of the Year
Hethersett Athletic Football Club holds the National FA Community Charter Standard Award
Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club holds the England and Wales Cricket Board Clubmark, renewed in 2014
Hethersett Hawks Cycle Speedway Club holds the national Go Ride standard
2016 Hethersett Dementia Group voted South Norfolk Council Community Group of the Year
Personal Awards
In 2012 I was one of six residents in South Norfolk to receive a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Inspiring Achievement Award for services to Hethersett over 20 years. I won the Inspiring Achievement Award for what was described as "an outstanding contribution to Hethersett over the past 20 years." Click here to see coverage from the Eastern Daily Press newspaper. Also in 2012 I was named Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club Clubman of the Year.
In 2013 I was also named a Champion of Norfolk at the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Show and received a certificate from television personality Jake Humphries.
In 2014 I was a runner-up in the Sport Volunteer of the Year awards organised by South Norfolk Council as part of their Community Awards.
In 2015 I was awarded the Lee Thompson Memorial Trophy for outstanding contribution to Hethersett Athletic Football Club. I was previously made an honorary life member of the club.
In 2018 I was awarded the Lee Thompson Memorial Trophy for outstanding contribution to Hethersett Athletic Football Club to mark my retirement. I was very proud to be only the second person to win the award twice.
In 2019 I was made an honorary vice-president of Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club after retiring as club chairman and development officer.
In 2020 I was honoured to be made an honorary member of the Royal Norfolk and Royal Anglian Regiment Association. This honour was bestowed on members of the Le Paradis Commemoration Group in recognition of their work to bring the death of 97 soldiers from the Royal Norfolk Regiment, the Royal Scots Regiment and others to public prominence and to raise awareness of Le Paradis Massacre of May 1940.
The Awards in Detail
I received the award from Stewart White
2012 South Norfolk Queen's Diamond Jubilee Inspiring Achievement
I was very honoured to receive this award at a special presentation evening at the John Innes Institute just outside Norwich.
The citation for the award read as follows: "To recognise an individual whose achievements have been judged to be far-reaching by the panel but whose achievements do not fit into other categories e.g bringing the community together, long service, community spirit etc.
"Peter has been Chairman of the Hethersett Athletic Football Club for the past 19 years. The club caters for both male and female players across all age ranges from under-10s through to adult sides. Peter successfully championed the introduction of a women's team to the club.
"He is also involved with the Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club, where he has taken on the role of club development officer. He successfully applied to the ECB for clubmark accreditation which involved many hours of work.
"Peter was responsible for the formation of Hethersett and the Meltons' Sports Association and organised Hethersett's entry into the 2011 Norfolk Village Games which saw them come in second place.
"Since its inauguration, Peter has been a vital part of Hethersett's hugely successful Olympic Committee. The three years of events and fundraisers in the run up to the Olympic Games was recognised when the Olympic flame was brought to Hethersett in June 2012."
he picture above shows me receiving the award from BBC Television's Stewart White.
I was very honoured to receive this award at a special presentation evening at the John Innes Institute just outside Norwich.
The citation for the award read as follows: "To recognise an individual whose achievements have been judged to be far-reaching by the panel but whose achievements do not fit into other categories e.g bringing the community together, long service, community spirit etc.
"Peter has been Chairman of the Hethersett Athletic Football Club for the past 19 years. The club caters for both male and female players across all age ranges from under-10s through to adult sides. Peter successfully championed the introduction of a women's team to the club.
"He is also involved with the Hethersett and Tas Valley Cricket Club, where he has taken on the role of club development officer. He successfully applied to the ECB for clubmark accreditation which involved many hours of work.
"Peter was responsible for the formation of Hethersett and the Meltons' Sports Association and organised Hethersett's entry into the 2011 Norfolk Village Games which saw them come in second place.
"Since its inauguration, Peter has been a vital part of Hethersett's hugely successful Olympic Committee. The three years of events and fundraisers in the run up to the Olympic Games was recognised when the Olympic flame was brought to Hethersett in June 2012."
he picture above shows me receiving the award from BBC Television's Stewart White.
2012 Eastern Daily Press Norfolk Community of the Year (Over 5,000 Population)
The citation for this award read as follows:
"Hethersett is far from a 'dormitory community' for Norwich based commuters. With a growing population currently standing at 6,000 Hethersett truly has a 'village feel'. For the last three years, the very active Olympic committee has organised more Olympic-themed sporting and cultural events per head of the population than anywhere else in the UK. This achievement was recognised with a visit by the Deputy Chairman of London 2012, Sir Keith Mills, and a truly unique off-route visit by the Olympic Flame during the Torch Relay.
Hethersett is also proud of its village hall and playing field, run by volunteer trustees. The playing field committee organised a Diamond Jubilee Fayre which was well attended despite the weather. The Hethersett Environmental Action Team (HEAT) organises regular litter picks, tree and ornamental features, maintenance, promotional walking and energy conservation. The latter was supported by the Energy Saving Trust's Green Communities Programme by winning a £20,000 grant to install measures to reduce domestic energy use for vulnerable households. HEAT also recently completed a biodiversity survey, publishing a book called "Wild about Hethersett."
"Hethersett is far from a 'dormitory community' for Norwich based commuters. With a growing population currently standing at 6,000 Hethersett truly has a 'village feel'. For the last three years, the very active Olympic committee has organised more Olympic-themed sporting and cultural events per head of the population than anywhere else in the UK. This achievement was recognised with a visit by the Deputy Chairman of London 2012, Sir Keith Mills, and a truly unique off-route visit by the Olympic Flame during the Torch Relay.
Hethersett is also proud of its village hall and playing field, run by volunteer trustees. The playing field committee organised a Diamond Jubilee Fayre which was well attended despite the weather. The Hethersett Environmental Action Team (HEAT) organises regular litter picks, tree and ornamental features, maintenance, promotional walking and energy conservation. The latter was supported by the Energy Saving Trust's Green Communities Programme by winning a £20,000 grant to install measures to reduce domestic energy use for vulnerable households. HEAT also recently completed a biodiversity survey, publishing a book called "Wild about Hethersett."
2013 Prime Minister's Big Society National Award
At the Downing Street Reception.
In 2012 I nominated the village of Hethersett for this top national award after reading a plea from Prime Minister David Cameron to create a Big Society. My motivation was the fact that in Hethersett the Big Society has been operating for decades and so this idea was nothing new for us. I felt that the thousands of volunteer hours put in by hundreds of people should be recognised further afield than just in Norfolk.
Early in 2013 I heard that Hethersett had become the first village or town in the entire United Kingdom to receive a Big Society award and this gained a considerable amount of coverage in the local Media (photographs of this are in the Media Coverage section of this web site). This culminated in my travelling to London along with my wife Anne and fellow village activists Shane and Lorraine Hull for a reception and presentation at 10 Downing Street where we were presented with a certificate on behalf of the village by David Cameron.
Early in 2013 I heard that Hethersett had become the first village or town in the entire United Kingdom to receive a Big Society award and this gained a considerable amount of coverage in the local Media (photographs of this are in the Media Coverage section of this web site). This culminated in my travelling to London along with my wife Anne and fellow village activists Shane and Lorraine Hull for a reception and presentation at 10 Downing Street where we were presented with a certificate on behalf of the village by David Cameron.
Active Norfolk Village Games
Members of the winning team in 2013
Hethersett entered the Norfolk Village Games for the first time in 2011 after I had been appointed Active Norfolk Sports Co-ordinator for the village. With a team of over 50 people of all ages from eight to over 80 we have fielded entries in every one of the sports featured over the past three years.
Despite competing against market towns with much larger populations, Hethersett and the Meltons won the South Norfolk Village Games in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 and were runners-up to Downham Market in the county finals in both 2011 and 2012. In 2013 we were runners-up in the county finals to Diss, but in 2014 were finally crowned county champions. The games were discontinued when funding was withdrawn so Hethersett will be county champions in perpetuity.
Despite competing against market towns with much larger populations, Hethersett and the Meltons won the South Norfolk Village Games in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 and were runners-up to Downham Market in the county finals in both 2011 and 2012. In 2013 we were runners-up in the county finals to Diss, but in 2014 were finally crowned county champions. The games were discontinued when funding was withdrawn so Hethersett will be county champions in perpetuity.
Norfolk Sports Village of the Year - 2013
Hethersett was named Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/Radio Norfolk Sports Village of the Year for 2013.
I represented the village in my capacity as chair of Hethersett and the Meltons Sports Association and picked up the trophy at a special presentation evening at Norwich Forum on November 6th, 2013. The trophy was presented by Norwich City and England international goalkeeper John Ruddy.
In 2014 we were a runner-up in the Norfolk Sports Village of the year, losing out on the title to Fakenham.
Hethersett was named Active Norfolk/Eastern Daily Press/Radio Norfolk Sports Village of the Year for 2013.
I represented the village in my capacity as chair of Hethersett and the Meltons Sports Association and picked up the trophy at a special presentation evening at Norwich Forum on November 6th, 2013. The trophy was presented by Norwich City and England international goalkeeper John Ruddy.
In 2014 we were a runner-up in the Norfolk Sports Village of the year, losing out on the title to Fakenham.