Dilemma over Townsperson of the Year ! !
Photo (left to right) - 'Urchin', Lion President Tim Ritson, Aileen Dunlop, Norma Harrington, Rob Gray and Town Mayor Neil O'Byrne.
Last year's townsperson Norma Harrington, Town Mayor Neil O'Byrne and Lion President Tim Ritson were given an impossible task when presented with the shortlist of this year's nominees for 'Townsperson of the Year 2022'. Wetherby should be justifiably very proud of having so many public spirited residents and the selection committee faced such a dilemma that ultimately only 'thinking outside the box' (and copious amounts of coffee) would create a solution!
Should it be Rob Gray, with his trademark flat cap, who for many years has served the town on the Weir Committee, organising the very popular bandstand concerts and managing the Wetherby Runners 10k Run? All these contribute to making the area a happy and relaxing place to live in stressful times when mental health can be a real concern.
Alternatively, what about Aileen Dunlop? She has selflessly donated her time and energy to organising the volunteers at the COVID-19 Vaccination Hub - turning up relentlessly to make sure everyone was happy and confident in their role. In addition to helping the volunteers she was always cheerful, compassionate and totally committed to reassuring those attending the clinic for vaccination if they were nervous or unsure about anything. How many lives and how many stays in hospital have been saved through her contribution to the NHS efforts?
How to solve a problem like this? Simple! Modify the rules and have two 'Townspersons of the Year' awards when two such deserving candidates are put forward.
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