Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council hosted the second Celebration of Newtown Awards 2023 on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at Theatre Hafren.

The event aimed to honour individuals, groups, and organizations who have made a positive impact in Newtown and the local area.

Mayor of Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn, Cllr John Byrne, opened the evening, emphasizing the talent and kindness in their town. He also recognized the groups who received Community Grants and businesses that employ on-call firefighters. The Mayor's chosen charities, The Salvation Army and Dementia UK, delivered speeches that highlighted the amazing work they do in the community.

The first award of the night went to Kaleidoscope in recognition of the collaborative work between Citizens Advice Powys and Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council. The event also featured the Community Fund Recognition Awards, which aimed to acknowledge the outstanding work of local organizations that benefit members of the community.

The evening saw the presentation of awards in other categories, such as Employers of On-Call Firefighters, Volunteer of the Year, Young Person or Youth Group of the year, Business of the Year, Climate Award, and Sports Award. Winners and runners-up in these categories were also acknowledged.

Steve Cox received the Sports Award, Newtown Food Surplus won the Climate Award, N.Y.P Theatre Group bagged the Young Person/Youth Group Award, and EvaBuild was named Business of the Year. Andrew Coppin received the Volunteer of the Year Award.

In addition to those, twenty-four organizations received the Community Fund Recognition Award. Some of them include Gwent & Powys Army Cadet Force - Newtown, Montgomeryshire Family Crisis Centre, Northside Community Association, Ponthafren, and 2nd Newtown Guides Unit.

Rory Evans was presented with the prestigious Honorary Freeman of Newtown Award for his ghost walks and fundraising efforts. Cllr Richard Edwards, Chair of Economy & Environment Committee, announced Rory's recognition, calling him a valued member of the community with empathy for others and a fantastic character. Rory has raised thousands of pounds for charities and causes, making a significant difference to people's lives. He is the only living person to receive this honour.

The 2nd Celebration of Newtown Awards 2023 was a successful community-focused event that recognized and celebrated the achievements of residents and businesses in Newtown. Congratulations to all the worthy winners and runners-up.

Picture: Cllr John Byrne (Mayor of Newtown), Rory Evans and Cllr Richard Edwards.

FULL WINNERS & RUNNERS UP

Sports Award: Steve Cox

Climate Award:

• Winner – Newtown Food Surplus
• Runner Up – Skincare BOOtique

Young Person/Youth Group Award:

• Winner – N.Y.P Theatre Group
• Runner Up – Kyan Spence

Business of the Year Award:

• Winner - Evabuild
• Runner Up - Hummingbird

Volunteer of the Year Award:

• Winner – Andrew Coppin
• Runner Up – George Morgan