Template:Courier-OCT-25-11
CALL FOR CANDIDATES TO LIFT NEXT YEAR'S COMMUNITY CUP
It's time to start thinking about who might lift the Brian Rhodes Community Cup next year. It is awarded annually to an individual adjudged to have made an outstanding contribution to the Claygate community in the previous 12 months.
Parish Councillors vote-by secret ballot-on the nominations and the winner will be announced at the 2026 annual Parish Meeting in the Village Hall. So this is an early call for the people of Claygate to nominate their candidates.
To nominate someone, you must live or work in Claygate and you can nominate more than one person. The nominee must also live or work in Claygate and must have given permission for their name to be put forward and publicised.
Nominations must include an explanation, in no more than 50 words, of why and how the nominee has made an outstanding contribution to the community in Claygate in the past 12 months. They should be sent in an email to the Clerk, at clerk@claygateparishcouncil.gov.uk.
Please note: sitting councillors at Parish, Borough and Surrey levels are not eligible for nomination.
'YOU NEVER REGRET GETTING INVOLVED'
Susannah Moffat, this year's Brian Rhodes Community Cup winner, made an inspiring speech on accepting the award at the Parish Meeting, and spoke again at the opening of the Get Involved Day. Here, she explains what volunteer work means to her.
On accepting the award, I was also proud to acknowledge the part so many people play in doing little things that make our community so strong. Volunteering is often described as "giving back", but the truth is that you gain just as much as you give.
I was about eight when my Dad handed me a tin and plonked me outside a supermarket on a cold Saturday morning before Christmas to collect for a local children's home. At the time, I thought it was embarrassing. Afterwards, counting the coins was exciting, and together with my reward of sweets, I felt good that someone else would benefit, too.
Claygate is a very special place, not least because so many people here are willing to muck in. I saw this first hand working on the Flower and Village Show the effort that goes into creating this one day of fun is mind-blowing.
But when the gates open and the village pours in, you suddenly realise it's all been worth it. Plus, nothing bonds people quite like trying to pin up 200 pieces of children's artwork at 7.30am in a soggy marquee.
In 2020, when changes to Surrey's youth provision left a big hole, a group of us decided we couldn't just let it slide. That's how Claygate Youth and Community Hub was born.
Building on the work of the Claygate Village Youth Association, we formed a new charity, put in the grant applications and kicked off the fundraising. A new kitchen, fresh paint and new curtains followed, with help from the village and local businesses, and then football nets, benches, and office equipment.
By the end of 2021, we had a team of brilliant people working with our young people, providing two youth sessions in a sparkling new space. A year later, we'd added a sports night, mentoring, and even mental health support. Now, the Hub is buzzing every week, full of young people making friends, trying new things, and generally reminding us why all the effort was worthwhile.
The Nigerian proverb that says "it takes a village to raise a child" sums it up perfectly. None of this-whether it's the Flower Show, the Scouts, the Church, the Christmas Lights, the Hub, or any of the other many voluntary organisations in the village happens because of one person. it happens because dozens of people show up, roll up their sleeves, and give a bit of themselves. The more you give, the more you get back.
Volunteering has given me countless laughs, some ridiculous stories, lifelong friends and a true sense of belonging. Yes, it can be tiring, yes, you will occasionally curse the day you agreed to help. But honestly? You will never regret getting involved.
