Mayor’s Awards 2026

“Iain has been volunteering at Vision 4 Youth since January 2024, helping out at our Creative Club youth group. During this time he has grown in the level of commitment and support he gives the group, and is now such a valuable member of the team that it would be difficult to manage without him. When a staff member was off sick and someone else covered, Iain provided great support in showing what had been going on at the group and what needed doing. Then more recently at Christmas Iain took charge of the end of term party games in someone else’s absence, and led such fun activities that the night was a huge success. He is now at the youth club weekly and has built strong relationships with the regular young people who attend. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Iain for his volunteering efforts.”

Nominated by Abby Roper

Sheena has been volunteering at Vision 4 Youth since November 2023, at our Creative Club youth group. Sheena is there week after week, supporting the young people with the activities that the group runs. She is always ready to get stuck into whatever tasks need doing and the young people really enjoy having her there. She is reliable and dependable, and we find her a great resource to the whole club. We would like to tell her just how much we appreciate her dedication to the group.

Nominated by Abby Roper

Janet has run 1st Yateley Guides for the last 27 years or so, offering a wide variety of activities to girl guides aged between 10 and 14 years. She was running 2 Guide units for a while in order to prevent one closing. She kept her unit running during Covid with online zoom sessions which were very successful. She offers the girls as many opportunities as she is able, such as the Big Gig pop Concert,; day trips to the Mary Rose in Portsmouth; camps, both local and further afield, both big and small – although not holding a camp licence, she will assist wherever possible at camps. She also runs the local Trading Depot supplying uniform to all local units in the Blackwater Valley area, Yateley, Hawley and Frogmore/Darby Green units.
She has held the role of Yateley District Commissioner and Blackwater Valley Division Commissioner in the past and is currently undertaking a role for Hampshire North County Guides.
Many Guides have now benefited from her dedication to her role over the these last years and she deserves to be recognised for this.

Nominated by Susan Brennan

Fran has been a member of the Yateley community for many years. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her over the past two years through my role at Yateley Industries, and in this time I’ve seen just how dedicated and generous she is with her time.

Fran has supported us at almost every fundraising event I’ve organised. In fact, the only times she hasn’t been able to help have been when she’s been volunteering elsewhere in the community, including with organisations such as Vision4Youth!

She was also an active member of the WI for many years and continues to support a student at Inclusion College each week. I’m sure there are many other ways she contributes that I’m not even aware of, as she quietly gets on with helping wherever she’s needed.

From running our tombola stall at community fairs and supporting our own events, such as the Twilight Runway Challenge and our Variety Show, to taking on car park duty, organising and collecting raffle prizes, delivering leaflets, and serving on the committee for our annual Summer Fete, Fran is always willing to step in and help. She is reliable, enthusiastic and community-spirited, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of recognition.

Nominated by Maria Mannan

We would like to nominate Di Gardner for the Yateley Town Mayor Community Awards 2026 in recognition of her unwavering dedication to wildlife conservation and community engagement.

As the Yateley Society’s Co-ordinator of the Toad Patrol group, Di Gardner has spent the past three years braving wet, dark, and cold nights of late winter and early spring to physically move amphibians across busy roads, ensuring their safe return to spawning ponds.

Each year, Di Gardner has passionately campaigned for motorist awareness, collaborating with Yateley Town Council and Hampshire County Council to secure warning road signs. She has nurtured and inspired a growing band of volunteers, motivating them to join her on these wet, dark, and cold nights of late winter and early spring to help reverse the decline of Yateley’s amphibians—including the protected Great Crested Newts, whose presence safeguards precious local habitats.

Through her tireless efforts, appearing at local events, lecturing and giving school assemblies, Di Gardner has not only protected vulnerable wildlife but also fostered a spirit of environmental stewardship and community action. Her leadership and commitment have made a lasting impact on both the natural world and the people of Yateley, Frogmore and Darby Green.

Nominated by Alison Hewitt

We would like to nominate Mike Mann for the Yateley Town Mayor Community Awards 2026.

As the Yateley Society’s long standing Conservation Lead, Mike Mann has devoted countless hours to mobilizing volunteers who have provided many thousands of hours for conservation efforts on Yateley Common, working alongside Hampshire Countryside Rangers to protect and restore our vital heathland habitats. He’s attended events, delivered school assemblies and organised practical workparties to promote environmental stewardship and community revitalisation.

More recently, Mike Mann has demonstrated tireless commitment by engaging with landowners, Yateley Town Council, and Hart District Council Countryside Team to rejuvenate the Royal Oak Valley—once an overgrown and fly-tipped area at the heart of the town. Through his leadership, he has organised and participated in volunteer initiatives to clear invasive plants and trees, restore the flow of the River Hand, and transform the Royal Oak Valley into a thriving habitat for native species. His ongoing efforts have made this area more accessible and welcoming for all residents, fostering a sense of pride and connection within the community.

Mike Mann’s vision, perseverance, and hands-on approach have not only enhanced Yateley’s natural environment but also inspired others to join in safeguarding the town’s ecological heritage. His thoughtful nurturing of volunteers—marked by the provision of tea, biscuits, and even jacket potatoes on special occasions—creates a welcoming and supportive atmosphere that motivates community members to participate. This combination of leadership, dedication, and genuine care for people makes Mike Mann a truly deserving candidate for this prestigious award.

Nominated by Alison Hewitt

We would like to nominate Mary Ferriss for the Yateley Town Mayor Community Awards 2026 in recognition of her unwavering commitment to community sustainability.

Mary Ferriss is the driving force behind the newly established Repair Café Yateley —researching best practices from other successful cafés and forging vital partnerships with organisations such as Repair Café International, the Hampshire County Council Waste Prevention Team, the Hampshire Repair Café Network, and the Restart Project, which tracks the global environmental impact of repair initiatives.

Through her determination, she secured essential funding from Yateley Town Council, the National Lottery, and Yateley Lions. She also collaborated with Yateley Industries to ensure inclusivity by involving their residents and utilising their facilities as a central hub. She has engaged with the Women’s Institute, to foster a welcoming atmosphere with refreshments and strengthen community connections.

Most notably, Mary Ferriss has inspired and led a dedicated team of volunteer repairers, establishing a regular event that not only reduces waste but also empowers residents to learn new skills and build lasting relationships for the volunteers. Her efforts have created a vibrant, sustainable resource that benefits the entire Yateley community and sets a powerful example for environmental stewardship and social cohesion.

I would like to nominate Dave in recognition and appreciation for his setting up and continued efforts in the running of the Yateley veterans’ monthly breakfast hub, which is open to all serving and retired members of the local community . In the three and half years that it has been operating, it has attracted increasing numbers of veterans who come together not just to share breakfast but also other social events , with many friendships having been formed along the way. Members range from relatively recently retired members to one member who is approaching his 100th birthday . The group provides support in all forms to those attending, whether it be simply offering transport to and from events or appointments, helping out with home projects or most importantly perhaps, the particular type of camaraderie and “banter” that they experienced and often relied upon during their service and which is missing since leaving it behind.
Many local veterans have benefitted hugely through their membership of the breakfast hub, both socially and psychologically and they have also contributed to the local community by unofficially adopting a local charity , raising money through hub social events as well as supporting events put on by local businesses, members arranging events such as regular curry evenings.
Dave has a lively, gregarious personality and is a natural “people person” , which draws people in and his enthusiasm for the breakfast club has not waned since its’s inception . His initial plan to bring like minded people together in a safe and informal setting continues to blossom and a community award in recognition of his efforts would go some way to showing the appreciation for what he has created for our local veteran community.

Nominated by Karen Eifflaender

Sarah has been a dedicated volunteer at Citizens Advice Hart for many years, consistently going above and beyond to support every service user she meets. She began her journey with us as an Assessor, providing high‑quality advice to people across the Hart District, including Yateley and Frogmore.

Throughout her time here, Sarah has taken on a variety of roles and has been instrumental in developing and launching new initiatives within our service. A standout example came in the summer of 2025, when she played a key role in delivering our Work Out Your Money project. As part of this initiative, a team from Citizens Advice Hart visited Yateley Schools to teach students essential financial skills, covering salaries, pay slips, budgeting, and saving. Sarah’s enthusiasm, knowledge, and commitment were central to the project’s success, helping young people build confidence in managing their money.

More recently, Sarah has become an invaluable member of our Financial Resilience Team. This team forms the gateway to our debt‑advice pipeline and is one of the most heavily used parts of our service. In this role, Sarah meets with service users to review their full household budget, helping them identify areas where costs can be reduced or managed more effectively. She then provides ongoing support whenever it’s needed, ensuring people feel guided, reassured, and empowered throughout the process.

Alongside her work with Citizens Advice Hart, Sarah is also an active member of Hart Voluntary Action. She dedicates a significant amount of her time to the Community Garden, where she supports everyone who attends and helps create a welcoming, inclusive space for the local community.

Sarah is kind, caring, and unwavering in her dedication to supporting people across the Hart District, including the communities of Yateley, Frogmore, and Darby Green. Her commitment to helping others shines through in everything she does, and she continues to make a meaningful difference to the lives of those she works with.

Nominated by Claire Carter

I wish to nominate Emma Owen for this year’s Mayor’s Community Award, and you do not have to look far to see the positive impact she has in our area.

As the marketing lead for 10 years and now co-chair of the fabulous Gig on the Green organisers committee, who are all volunteers, this superb music event held each June in Yateley is possibly the most visible activity that Emma supports. She generously uses her spare time to ensure this event continues to grow by engaging the local community and maximising funds raised. This raises awareness and generates economic value in the community through the development of facilities at Sean Devereux Park.

2025 event sold an incredible 5,800 tickets
5 local charities had free stalls at the event to raise funds for their own causes
28 businesses had catering or trading stalls and 14 companies sponsored the 2025 event

She uses her professional experience in marketing and communications via both traditional and the latest social media platforms, bringing the community together in a time when we can all feel so divided. The best performing post in June 2025 had a reach of 13,948. Before this, in 2023 they had a video reach 37,415.

Emma is also on the core team of Sandhurst Memorial parkrun, regularly holding the post of Run Director which means coordinating volunteers, being responsible for processing the results and ensuring safe, accessible and rewarding events. Owing to where Sandhurst Memorial Park is located, participants regularly come from not only Yateley, Frogmore and Darby Green but our close neighbours in Hart, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest and Rushmoor – truly connecting communities who then often visit the local cafe, or reciprocate and visit other events and their local businesses.

Emma’s boundless energy means she find new things to support and new connections to build. Running the Yateley 10k series for the last 10 years would be enough for most… now Emma is using her comms and charity skills and knowledge by joining the organising committee and communicating the benefits to race entrants and charitable fund recipients:

£14,750 was distributed to local good causes from proceeds of the 2025 series
Participant numbers have increased from 1,054 in 2024 to 2,190 in 2025

Emma also started Runettes, a monthly group for women to run and socialise together, very often held at Horseshoe Lake… and the group very much enjoys a post run coffee and cake at the cafe! I have personally got to know Horseshoe Lake much better and will attend some of the events I saw advertised like the night moon paddles… I missed out last year but thanks to Emma’s group I hope for attending this year!

A few other notable achievements:

• Chairman of Tadpoles Community Pre-school 2007-2011
• Member of Potley Hill PTA with responsibility for organising Christmas Fair 2011-2017
• Part of the team who organised the winning event in Yateley Town Council, “Street Party of the Year 2022”

Connecting people has always been Emma’s passion and drive… starting out as a journalist for local news with a keen eye for what’s going on in the community, caring about people and their daily lives, creating and supporting ways of bringing people together, belonging to a local book club… and still running a home and supporting her husband, two grown up children and rescue greyhound Bonnie, it is a privilege to call Emma my friend and be inspired by her selfless energy, humble donation of her time and commitment to all these things she holds dear.

Emma is a worthy nominee. I commend this nomination for consideration for this year’s award.

Nominated by Louisa Wright-Wastell

Work within the Royal British Legion, the Church and Environment.

A member of the Royal British Legion, Neil has been Branch Secretary for 3 years, he took over from a gapped post and no handover. He immediately got to grips with the requirements – ensuring timely issue of agendas, comprehensive minutes and keeping in close touch with all members, and ‘interested supporters’. His proactive approach, technical IT abilities and ‘wilco’ attitude have transformed this Branch administration. He is present and a key part of all RBL activities, such as during Remembrance, helping erect poppy cascades, manning fundraising stalls, and helping new members with applications. His wise counsel, willingness to research, and ability to think ‘outside the box’ make other Committee members’ lives easier and ensures the Branch remains an important part of life in Yateley.

As a result of his efforts , our local branch has been awarded ‘Best Branch’ for the County of Hampshire for each of the last 3 years. Moreover we have just been awarded the Silver Beacon standard – one of only 5 in Hampshire which has 55 Branches.

In the wider community, you all hear part of his Church activities. The St Peter’s clock was made in around 1600 and has to be wound each day – Neil normally climbs up the tower and winds the clock each Friday. He also volunteers in Cafe 46 on Fridays, and supports the local D&P with an after-work pint or 2 each week! He has been on the Parochial Church Committee, helps with the monthly ‘Who Let the Dads Out’ on Saturdays, and he instigated Remembrance of all military graves within Yateley. He is also the RBL Branch contact for the Holy Trinity Church in Hawley. Of particular note is his becoming aware of, and thereafter highlighting, the south lych-gate memorial to the Brown Family which requires significant repair. As a result of intense work with Yateley Society and St Peter’s, it is hoped that this Memorial Lych Gate will be repaired this year.

Neil is also concerned with nature – enjoying walking, and volunteering with his wife Roz at the Moor Green Reserve each month – doing whatever necessary to enhance the reserve for the benefit of the birds and other wildlife.

I consider Neil to be a wonderful contributor, in various ways, to life in Yateley and is thoroughly deserving of recognition.

Nominated by Ishbel Thomson

I sincerely wish to nominate Don Cleeve for the Mayor’s Award.

I first met Don in December 2023, shortly after he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Don had already spent 30 years with Yateley Football Club, where he’d been the driving force behind raising money to build the Yateley United Community Centre at Chandlers Lane, as well as organising the annual Gig on the Green Yateley music festival since it’s inception.. Don had indeed also helped with the building of the community centre though he had no previous construction experience.

Don then added to his support for Yateley United FC by joining myself at Fighting Fit Football (Parkinson’s), and a walking football group for people with neurological conditions at Bracknell Sports Centre.

Having just completed managing another hugely successful Gig on the Green festival in the summer of 2024, Don was informed he now had Motor Neurone Disease, an incurable neurological condition, with a 50/50 likehood of death within two years – among other very challenging symptoms.

Don has remained magnificent during this time, continuing to support the community with his fundraising, his support, his generosity of heart, his gentle humour, his smile.

In January 2025 he paid his own way to travel to Florida to support myself and team mates in the England Parkinson’s Walking Football team visit there, and once again – for the final time – oversaw a fantastic Gig on the Green event in the summer, raising thousands of pounds for local community groups. Don’s deteriorating condition will prevent him being properly able to manage this years event, though he will be fully supporting it again.

In April 2025, the Berks and Bucks FA informed the neurological walking football group at Bracknell Sports Centre that they could no longer support the group there. Don – and myself – then took over the running of the group to prevent it ceasing to be. We gave the group a name – Bracknell Foresters – and Don paid for a badge design. The group has since become a fantastic support for people in the area living with Parkinson’s, MND, Dementia, Stroke, MS, Learning Disabilities, and similar.

Don himself gives a lift to the group for his lifelong friend Mark who has dementia. This also enables Mark’s wife Angela to have a break from caring for Mark.

During 2025, Don then raised thousands of pounds for the MND Association with a sponsored walk, before undertaking and completing an astonishing 184 mile walk along the Thames Path, from it’s source to the Thames Barrier in London, raising thousands of pounds in aid of a new hospital for the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care organisation which is based in Camberley and provides hospice care and much more to all living in the Surrey and Hampshire area.

Don really is such a great person.

He is facing his MND condition with great bravery, common sense, and positivity to still do so much for other people in the local community whilst he still can.

The people of Yateley and the surrounding area are very, very fortunate to have such a friendly, generous, great person supporting them.

Don is a true gentleman, and a true hero.

I wholly support Don being nominated for the Mayor’s Award.

Nominated by Joe Gregory

Jules set up the “Yateley Runners” (formerly “We Run Yateley”) group a few years ago as a friendly, non-competitive, social running group.

The aim was to create a group where everyone was welcome, no matter your running ability, where we all run together as one group with nobody left behind.

There’s no pressure to turn up every week and it has given a lot of us that external accountability we needed to help get back into runnin,g which we might not have done on our own.

Althought the group of regulars is not huge, the impact the group has had on those that come regularly is brilliant. It’s a chance to get out, catch up and feel part of a little running “family”.

Nominated by Danielle Kennedy