She has been recognised with a LiveWest Community Stars award during National Volunteers Week (1-7 June) for all her efforts in making Seaward Way a better place to live.
Despite having limited mobility due to a spinal tumour, Barbara stood out to judges as a perfect example of a selfless person, who works within her community to bring about positive behaviour from all age groups. She has and is trying to bring her neighbourhood together, to get everyone to know each other - young and old.
The LiveWest Community Stars awards set out to recognise those people who have gone above and beyond for their communities to make customers lives better.
Sally Hill, Community Connector at LiveWest said: “Barbara helped to manage a Dreamscheme and more than one generation of children benefited. She is brilliant at getting the community together and dedicated to helping to keep community cohesion maintained. Just a few months ago at an event to get bird boxes up on the estate, in freezing weather, families turned out, because they love the connection, and they love Barbara. One lady said she deserves an MBE.”
Community Stars award winner and LiveWest resident Barbara said: “I was in utter shock when I found out I had been nominated for a LiveWest community stars award. I don’t do anything I do for recognition, but I am really pleased to have won.”
“I couldn’t do any of this alone, I am supported by our community connector Sally at LiveWest who guides me all the time, the rest of the Seaward Way community group and my dear friend and neighbour Debbie who does everything with me. We all support each other to make things happen.”
Barbara has now activated a team of volunteers to host a Queen’s Jubilee event on the multi use games area on the estate and is helping the community to rebuild after the covid isolation impacts. This work helps to reduce mental health impacts when people like Barbara help bring people back together again.
Barbara volunteers for a number of groups including a group called InFocus which concentrates on residents having their say in improving the services from housing provider LiveWest
Barbara said: “I want to future proof the community group for when I am not able to carry on the work, partnership working is really important in making things happen and I have some really good people on board with me.”
Barbara particularly works hard to ensure young people on the Minehead estate are involved with the community recognising that this often difficult to target group responds well to being active with things happening on the estate.
The Seaward Way community group have worked hard together in the past to provide a new play area for the estate and host a number of events throughout the year.