THE inaugural winner of the Kyrle Civic Award has been revealed, with the winner not being an individual, but a recently formed organisation.

The award was initiated by Ross-on-Wye Town Council in a bid to recognise people within the community who have made an invaluable contribution to the town.

At the town’s annual parish meeting Councillor Ed O’Driscoll explained that this new initiative follows on from last year’s tricentenary of John Kyrle’s death.

And to mark this important occasion in the calendar Ross Town Council decided to offer a civic award – The Kyrle Civic Award – for outstanding contribution to the community.

The best way to do this was to ask the Ross community and find out who deserved to be given such an award.

Cllr O’Driscoll said: “We received a lot of nominations, and these were forwarded to an independent panel of judges who were given the difficult task of sifting through them and making a final decision.

“The judges reported back stating that they were impressed with the quality of applications, but the winner was not an individual, but a recently formed organisation known as @the Hub.”

Cllr O’Driscoll read out some comments from the nominations which state that @the Hub is a fantastic asset to our town; a place for people that may not have a place to go in the community to learn new skills and receive support.

The comments continued with one observing that a few peoples’ outstanding vison and effort has created a space, that is now part of the fabric of the town.

Other comments noted that the hub provides outstand support to those in need and providing a first-class facility for those who are so often neglected by society and for giving hope and dignity to users of their services by being helpful, caring and friend to people who don’t know where to turn.

The panellists noted in their judgement that @the Hub, which opened its doors in June last year, is a local project run for the benefit of local people with the aim of helping and improving the lives of those in the community and added: “Being local means that genuine connections are made allowing the staff to truly advocate on behalf of vulnerable people who often don’t have a voice or finding engagement in a modern world very difficult to do.

“It gives vulnerable people a chance to build their confidence and gives them back dignity to allow them to make their own personal contribution to Ross and to society.

It provides a safe space to allow people to just be themselves without judgement.

“Often these are the very people missed out upon by statutory services. This group is often neglected and thought hard to reach. It is an organisation that picks up the pieces and offers a link to various services, such as help with benefit forms and arranging appointments is a crucial intervention the reduces health inequity.

Cllr O’Driscoll concluded: “This organisation doesn’t just change lives, it saves lives.”