Ashby de la Zouch Town Council has finally been able to present the recipients of the Civic Awards for 2019, 2020 and 2021 with their certificates.

The awards were made at the Mayor's Civic Dinner, by Cllr Rita Manning, which was held earlier this month at the Lyric Rooms in Ashby in front of 82 invited guests.

The Town Council Civic Award is presented annually to a member of the public who, in the opinion of the council, has made a significant contribution to the town and the parish.

This could be through a combination of a number of factors involving the promotion of the town, enhancing its reputation, initiatives to improve quality of life for residents or a sustained contribution to a particular issue, which has wide-reaching benefits for Ashby de la Zouch. 

The three recipients were:

• 2019 – Vanessa Bayliss

• 2020 – Dean O'Shea

• 2021 – Mark Arjoo

The Leader of the Town Council, Cllr John Coxon, said: "The Town Council is very pleased to be able to finally present the award to the successful recipients of the Civic Award for Ashby de la Zouch for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

"This has not been possible until the Mayor's Civic Dinner on 7th May 2022 due to cancellations as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"All three are very worthy winners of the award and have been a great credit to the town over many years.

"I am delighted that we have managed to recognise their achievements with this."

The recipient of the 2019 award is Mrs Vanessa Bayliss. 

Vanessa has made many and various contributions to the town over the last 20 years and more.

Most of these are associated with youth in the community.

She was a founding member of the street pastors in 2010 and has consistently been on duty at weekend evenings giving pastoral care to late night revellers in the town in association with the police and the night-time economy.

Vanessa is an active Rotarian raising funds for both local and international charities.

She was president in 2003 and is currently involved in youth and community projects.

Vanessa is regularly seen in the town shaking a tin for charitable causes.

She is a member of Trinity Church where she was a Sunday School teacher for 37 years.

Vanessa has given tremendous support and encouragement to her son Vernon who has run many youth activities through the church for the young people of the town.

She has been Consort to her husband Roger when he was Mayor, undertaking civic duties engendering civic pride to the town.

Not only has she made these contributions for many years but in recent times has continued in her duties, despite serious illness, with courage and cheerfulness.

The recipient of the 2020 award is Dean O'Shea.

Dean is probably best known as the Photo Manager of Owen Jones, part of Dean and Smedley, in Market Street.

Dean was nominated for his outstanding voluntary work over the past 35 years and more, going back to 1985, when he had started work for Robert Jones at Owen Jones on Market Street.

At that time Robert had just started a 'phone chain' initiative to pass on messages from shop to shop about shoplifters.

This was soon to be handed over to Dean to run and developed into what it is today, a 50-plus proactive team of retail radios in Ashby and Coalville.

Over those 35 years, Dean has chaired the Ashby Shopwatch, Ashby Retail Radio Crime Initiative, and now the North West Leicestershire Retail Crime Initiative.

For three years Dean was Chairman of Ashby Town Centre Traders, he also sits on the NWL CCTV Manager Committee as the voice of Ashby Retailers.

Dean strongly believes that a zero tolerance, pro-active approach to shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and street crime, together with a good working partnership with Ashby Businesses, Leicestershire Police, Local Councils and our public, help maintain Ashby's reputation as a place to visit. 

The last four years has seen the rebirth of the Ashby Town Centre Traders, where Dean has been elected and re-elected as Chairman for three years and still chairs the NWL Retail Crime Initiative.

This committee has built a close working relationship with Ashby Town Council as it is agreed that this is key for growth of our town and local independent businesses. T

his has already seen Ashby win The Best Shopping Experience 2018 and Commended for Best Town in the LTH Awards 2019 whilst being shortlisted for the Great British High Street Awards 2019. 

His efforts also ensured the success of Ashby First 'Ride to The Castle' Scooter & Music Festival and the committee, yet again, got Ashby on the map with Ashby's FABulous with TV coverage from the BBC & ITV for the last three years.

The recipient of the 2021 award is Mark Arjoo. 

Mark was the Dedicated Neighbourhood Police Officer for Ashby from October 2004 until his retirement from the police service in February 2022.

The length of time that he has held this role, shows his commitment to the local area.

During this time, he has engaged with many partner agencies (including North West Leicestershire District Council, Ashby Town Council, Ashby Pub Watch, Ashby Street Pastors, Retail Watch), organisations (including Residents Associations, churches, youth clubs, voluntary groups, schools. and sports clubs), and local businesses, and built up an excellent working relationship with all of them.

He has advised on many local policing issues and crime reduction initiatives, in order to make Ashby a safer place for both residents and businesses.

Mark has been part of the Planning Committees for Ashby Remembrance Day and Ashby Statutes Fair.

The many local events he has policed, include Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Ashby Statutes, HM Diamond Jubilee Street Party, Ashby Christmas Event, the Sealed Knot, Jim's Tractor Run, Steam Rally, and 'Proms in The Park'.

A multi-agency team work on, applied for, and were eventually successful in securing Ashby's Purple Flag Status for its Night-Time Economy, of which Mark was an integral part.

In 2012, after completing 20 years' service, he received the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Also in 2012, Mark was highly commended in the Leicestershire 'Beat Bobby of The Year' Award.

He has always gone about his business in a professional and approachable manner.

In February 2022, Mark retired from the Police, after completing 30 years' service.

In 2013, Mark joined the Rotary Club of Ashby de la Zouch Castle, and since this time, has given up his free time to carry out many hours of voluntary work in the local area, which he continues to do.

During his time in Rotary, he has helped secure funding for two defibrillators for the town, organised a team that took part in litter picking at the Ashby Big Tidy Up, secured funding for a number of local voluntary groups, is part of the on-going Hood Park Enhancement Scheme, carried out work at the Hood Court Sheltered Accommodation Complex, driven the minibus to the Stratford Senior Citizens Trips, and was a Community Volunteer who delivered medication and shopping to vulnerable people during the Covid-19 lockdown period.

Mark is currently on the sub-committees for both the Ashby Santa Fun Run and Walk, and the Rotary Club Santa Sleigh, which over the years, have raised thousands of pounds for various local charities. In his roles as both local Police Officer and member of the Rotary Club,

He has been a fantastic servant, and fully deserves to be recognised for this excellent service that he has provided to the local community over the years.