2023 Winners
From more than 200 nominations, our Judges had the difficult task to select the winners, 29 winners were announced at our Awards Ceremony on Thursday 16 March 2023 at The Village Hotel, Tingley to a capacity crowd.
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE to all of our winners.
New Business Of The Year
Pippins
Pippins are a café based in the new Amblers Orchard complex which is independent living for older people or those with care needs. They are open to the public as well as residents and they serve quality home cooked food in a comfortable, safe and friendly environment.
We received lots of nominations for Pippins from customers, residents, and their families.
As well as feeding the residents and public 7 days a week, Kim and her team have arranged fun days, Easter and Christmas activities, several entertainment nights showcasing local talent from the area and have supported many charities, including WF3 Kindness.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Unwind 4 Me
Business Of The Year
RH Binks & Sons Butchers
R H Binks & Sons are a quality Family Butchers who have been serving customers and making friends in East Ardsley for more than a hundred years.
They are a traditional style butcher but moving with the times to create hand-made products, and innovative ideas to the butchery trade. Last year they underwent a full refurb at their shop in East Ardsley investing into the business and the community.
Jack and the team care about the local area, they support many community initiatives, sponsor sports teams and get behind lots of community groups.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Northern Accountants
Community Group Of The Year
SEN Giraffe Buddies
The SEN Giraffe Buddies was set up by Nikki and Gav Esberger for children with special educational needs within our community and the surrounding area.
Gav and Nikki run the sessions which are there for everyone and inclusive for all children. The group also acts as a support network for the parents as well.
One of the many nominees said ‘This group is amazing, for once my little boy feels included in something… and welcome! I have also met new friends that understand! Thank you Nikki and Gav’
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Hi-Tech Alarms & CCTV
Community Project Of The Year
James Butterfield
James Butterfield helped bring a smile and joy to the children of our community after he brought Santa to the streets on his tractor!
Santa braved the cold weather taking a trip around the streets to hand out sweets and see the kids lining the streets, supporting the Leeds Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and WF3 Kindness at the same time.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Braeside Bakes
Community Project Of The Year
The Friends Cafe
The Friends Café which is held at Tingley Methodist Church was set up in 2016 as a joint venture between 12th Leeds Boys Brigade and Tingley Methodist Church.
It was set up for people with Dementia to come along and enjoy some food and company. Over the years it has grown and has become a safe space for people to get together and be themselves.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Braeside Bakes
Fundraiser Of The Year
Calvin & Ava Hanson
Calvin and Ava Hanson have been fundraising for Cancer Research after their Uncle was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. We received lots of nominations for these amazing young people after they sold footballs, football cards and stickers and set up a donation page. Calvin and Ava smashed their fundraising target and raising over £500.
Their Uncle Corey sadly passed away, but the funds raised by Calvin and Ava will help those living with or affected by Cancer.
One of the Judges comments said: ‘To lose a close relative and be willing to stand up and help others takes a lot of strength, and at 11 and 7 they would have been forgiven to just turn angry with the world and hide away but Calvin and Ava instead wanted to help – inspirational, well done!’
This Award was kindly sponsored by
RH Binks & Sons
Fundraiser Of The Year
Rev Sharon Wilkinson
Reverend Sharon has been the Vicar at St Mary’s Church for the last 6 years.
It became clear that the East Window at the church which has overlooked many christenings, weddings, funerals and services over the last 50 years was in need of urgent repair and in to preserve it for future generations more than £75,000 was needed.
Rev'd Sharon led the fundraising campaign and in September walked 19,000 steps (around 8.5 miles) every single day in a sponsored walk and has helped raise nearly £40,000 in total.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
RH Binks & Sons
Make A Difference Award
Diane Wells
Diane Wells is a local legend! She arranges lots of things in our community including running the Little Free Library, West Ardsley Rocks and helps run the Uniform bank.
Diane also works with the Hare & Hounds to put together the Easter Hunt from the Reservoir finishing at the Hare where all the kids get an Easter treat.
At Christmas she organises the letters to Santa where she makes sure that all the letters get delivered to The North Pole and makes sure that he replies to each and everyone!
This Award was kindly sponsored by
AJS Electrical
Make A Difference Award
Graham Nash
Pinnacle Builders
Graham Nash is the owner at Pinnacle Builders and lives in Tingley. He has helped hundreds of people who have become victims to cowboy builders.
He has gone above and beyond to help more than 300 people rebuild their homes and their lives after being scammed for thousands of pounds often using his own money to cover costs.
Graham has been in the building trade for 30 years and brings other tradespeople together to help people in desperation.
One of the nominations said: ‘I would not be here today if it wasn’t for Graham Nash. He showed us great care and love by helping us rebuild our lives after being ripped off by a conman.’
This Award was kindly sponsored by
AJS Electrical
Neighbour of the Year
Suzanne Bickerdike
Suzanne is a great neighbour and friend.
She walked her neighbours dogs for 10 days whilst they had COVID and made sure they had enough food and essentials when they were too ill to go out.
She also works hard to keep everyone locally up to date with the planning application at Haigh Woods and always volunteers to design and print flyers for the local area. Suzanne is someone that people rely on for lots of things and we think she’s brilliant!
This Award was kindly sponsored by
GME Painting Contractors
Committee of the Year
East Ardsley Cricket Club
Formed in 1882 after the merger of two clubs in the village the East Ardsley Cricket Club has a thriving junior section and dedicated team of qualified coaches and volunteers.
The East Ardsley Cricket Club Bonfire Night has been nominated for the second year running as a great community event organised by their committee.
The firework display at the 2021 and 2022 Bonfire Night was outstanding, these things don't organise themselves and what the team pulled off was simply fantastic. A lot of families from across the area enjoyed this event and came together which was lovely to see!
This Award was kindly sponsored by
A1 Mobile Disco
Sport Award
Morley Futsal
Morley Futsal Club is a community club ran and managed by Lee Howarth. They put all profits back in to the kids and work with around 150 children from 4 to 15 years old. They offer affordable weekly sessions, holiday camps, community football sessions and tournaments.
What makes this club different to many others is that they don’t play competitive games on a weekend, instead they play friendly games against each other, and other development led clubs. They do this because they feel that there is sometimes too much pressure on our children to succeed rather than just have fun.
Last year the club sent 23 adults and children to Paris where they went to Disneyland and played on the pitch at PSG. They also had matches played on the pitch at Elland Road and are looking forward to returning this year.
One of the nominations said: ‘Lee is amazing, he puts a lot of effort and energy into the club and cares for all the kids. My children look up to him and Sonny (Lee’s son) so much. Thank you, Lee,”.
This Award was sponsored in memory of
Anthony Crosswaite
Teacher of the Year
Miss Jo Colquhoun
Mr Fellender
We received a record number for our Primary School Teacher of the year.
Miss Colquhoun has been a member of staff at Hill Top for nearly 15 years and during that time has built lasting relationships with all children and staff at the school.
She is incredibly kind and caring, always going above and beyond for every child in her care. She will always be there with open arms for any child and is incredibly nurturing and supportive. Her nickname to the children is Miss ‘Canoe’!
Mr Fellender has been nominated every year in our Awards, he is a Teaching Assistant at Hill Top who loves his job… and it shows!
He cares for the kids, and they look forward to spending time with him. He works across the school and gets involved with many extra-curricular activities too including forest school, swimming, and lots of fun activities.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Rhythm Time Wakefield
Teacher of the Year
Mrs Chester
Miss Hadley
We received a record number for our Secondary School Teacher of the year.
Mrs Chester is an Art and DT Teacher at Rodillian Academy, she is also a Form Tutor for Year 8 pupils.
One of the nominations for Mrs Chester said: ‘Mrs Chester is a great teacher that doesn’t only care about education and passing exams but also has a genuine care of the emotional wellbeing of her students.
She can calm and regulate my son back to be able to work well which is a precious skill. My son and I feel very lucky to have such a wonderful person around him every day’.
Miss Hadley is the assistant special educational needs coordinator at Woodkirk.
One of the nominations for Miss Hadley said: ‘My son is autistic and has recently transitioned to high school from primary which has been quite daunting for him and us, as parents. She has gone above and beyond to ensure he feels settled at high School and is always on hand should he have any problems. My son suffers from extreme social anxiety so break times can be quite a daunting, lonely time. She constantly checks in with him to see how his day is going and should he encounter problems, she will not hesitate to communicate with the relevant teachers to ensure everyone can find a better way of understanding his needs.’
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Dragon Fused Glass
Volunteer of the Year
Susan & Richard Cawthra
Richard Oswald
Susan and Richard Cawthra do lots in the community for the Thorpe estate and WF3 Kindness.
They have maintained the community planter in Thorpe for a number of years often using their own money to pay for new plants several times each year. They have been nominated in this category every year with residents saying that the planter always looks beautiful and is better maintained than the council displays!
Richard Oswald is part of WF3 Wombles.
He has been working with the Wombles since it started. Although the group have lots of wonderful volunteers, Richard has been clearing the same areas week in week out for nearly two years and also works to target any ‘grot spots’. Richard is a valuable and key member of the WF3 Wombles group.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Robrook Design and Print
Kevin Sinfield Award
Kate's Mates
Kate Allen lives in East Ardsley and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.
Kate’s friend Jamie Lodge wanted to raise some money to send Kate and her family on a dream campervan holiday with her family to complete the Scottish 500.
Jamie signed up to run the York Marathon to kickstart the fundraising, she was training hard and doing well but then on a day out (no alcohol!) she broke her foot. She was devastated.
Kates friends then came together to support both Jamie and Kate raise the funds needed. ‘Kate’s Mate’s’ were born!
Jamie was determined that the marathon would still take place… in some form. The group got together and collectively walked the 26 miles around Tingley. It was a real team effort with the walk starting from Tracey’s house, and Katrina making some tasty treats for the finish line. Even neighbours and people on the route got involved. Heroically Jamie and Kate managed to walk the last mile with a broken foot and 2 new hips between them.
One of the nominees said: “This award is the Tingley version of Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow. Jamie has stood by her friend and her family to help make sure they have everything they need to do the things they want to.”
The group raised the funds needed and Kate and her family will be leaving for their dream holiday at the end of April.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Hi-Tech Alarms & CCTV
Special Recognition Award
Buttercup Lane Childminders
Karl & Lia at Buttercup Lane Childminders have been nominated in every single Best of WF3 Awards. They are much loved by the children and parents and by many across the community.
They do so much in the area such as the Fairy Walk and Santa sleigh rides. They also brought Mr and Mrs Clause to Candlelighters Children’s Cancer Charity and are Ambassadors of The Cash for Kids Charity.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Icebreaker Bands
Special Recognition Award
The Hare and Hounds
The Hare & Hounds have also been nominated in each of our Awards, this place is much more than just a pub in the area – it’s become a real hub of the community.
The pub is a safe haven for so many across the area and is the place that people turn to when they need help. Jackie, Pat, Keelie and the team are a big part of West Ardsley and encourage everyone to make the community better.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Icebreaker Bands
Special Recognition Award
Bev Mitchell
Bev Mitchell was initially nominated in our Teacher of the Year category but left her job at Blackgates last year.
She was a real hero at Blackgates and has helped many children and their parents. She hasn’t had it easy herself, yet she always found time to help others going through a difficult time and was there when people needed some support and advice.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Icebreaker Bands
Outstanding Contribution Award
Jackie Fairburn
Jackie Fairburn has probably the most varied job in the community – she’s a counsellor, peacemaker, secret keeper, she pulls pints, serves food, and organises parties and events.
Jackie is much loved by many around the area, we all know how good The Hare & Hounds are, but this is all under her watch – she leads by example, she cares for the community, its groups and its people and she’s the glue that holds a lot of it together.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Icebreaker Bands
People's Champion Award
Stephen Gaughan
Stephen is a football coach who has worked with hundreds of kids over the years, he works hard using sport to encourage kids to be the best possible version of themselves.
We received a huge number of votes for Stephen for this Award, it’s obvious how much he is valued within the community for doing something he loves for those he loves.
This Award was kindly sponsored by
Ardsley Windows
Junior Hero of the Year
Albie Naylor
6 year old Albie, wanted to help the homeless over Christmas.
He set himself a mission to make up parcels consisting of gloves, hats, hand and foot warmers, heat patches, breakfast bars, water, and blankets which he would give to the homeless to make them more comfortable over Christmas.
Albie fundraised by asking family and friends to contribute towards his appeal and managed to make up 24 bags!
Albie and his Dad delivered the bags to St Georges Crypt in Leeds who made sure that the most vulnerable people in our city benefitted from his inspirational act of kindness!
This nomination said it all: “I wish adults could see the world through Albie’s eyes, children are our future and it's young minds, enthusiasm and a caring attitude that will help make a difference and make the world a better place for everyone.”
This Award is kindly sponsored by
Ardsley Windows
Young Person of the Year
Abi Joy
Abi is 17 and has a rare chromosome disorder meaning she has many disabilities and conditions which cause her to become regularly seriously ill. Abi won an award last year but unfortunately was not well enough to attend after catching Covid, so we’re delighted that she’s here tonight to collect her award.
Despite her challenges Abi is very well known across the country and even the world for her bracelets ('Joylets') which she makes. Abi has given out nearly a million of these joylets to people all over the globe, including her best mate Mr Michael Buble, Mr Tumble… and even Billy.
And again, for the second year running, Abi has produced over 200 Joylets for each of our guests here tonight in the hope that you will all help 'Spread Joy with Abi'.
This Award is kindly sponsored by
IzWiz Robotics
Lifetime Achievement Award
WF3 Wombles
The WF3 Wombles were founded by John Calladine and Julie Taffinder in 2021. They work across the Ardsley and Robin Hood Ward. They have also been known to collect in parts of Middleton and Rothwell.
The team have collected more than 4000 bags of litter in the last two years – that’s rubbish that without these volunteers would have been blowing around the area!
Some of the litter they have collected dates back many years, Milk bottles from the 1960’s, cans of pop from the 1980’s which is on top of the daily litter that people still drop today.
The group have also been instrumental in securing dozens of new street bins across the area.
This Award is given by
WF3 Kindness
WF3 Local Hero of the Year
Mike Robinson
Mike is known as “The Drone Man”, not only does he share some stunning sights of our community lifting the mood on the various Facebook groups, but he acts a little like an emergency service for people in desperate need.
Mike uses his drone, other equipment, and his skills to search for missing people and pets – he’s been called upon several times over the last 12 months to help local families who are experiencing the most worrying and upsetting time in their lives.
This Award is kindly sponsored by
Ardsley Windows
THANK
YOU
to ALL our sponsors and supporters!
Headline Sponsors
Ardsley Windows &
Icebreaker Bands
Event Partners
A1 Mobile Disco
Billy Pearce
Braeside Bakes
Isla Stead-Price
Mike Robinson
Phil Fryer
Prestige Events
Robrook Design & Print
Village Hotel South Leeds
Yorkshire Events Hire
Award Sponsors
A1 Mobile Disco - AJS Electrical - Anthony Crosswaite RIP - Ardsley Windows - Blinds 2000 - Braeside Bakes - Dragon Fused Glass - GME Painting Contractors - Hi-Tech Alarms & CCTV - Hyatt Kitchens - Icebreaker Bands - IzWiz Robotics - My Baby Can Dance Leeds - Northern Accountants - RH Binks & Sons Butchers - Rhythm Time Wakefield - Robrook Design and Print - Simon Roberts Tree Surgeons - Unwind 4 Me
Without the generosity from these local businesses the Awards would not be possible.