Glastonbury retirees John Oakley and Derek Pickett have been celebrating with family and friends after they were both chosen to receive a special ‘Churchill Award’ for their contribution to life at Cavendish Lodge.
On Thursday 22nd September a special party was held at the Lodge, where John and Derek both live independently in their Churchill Retirement Living apartments. The awards were presented to them by Churchill’s Chairman & CEO Spencer J McCarthy, who said:
“We created the Churchill Awards 10 years ago as a way to honour the achievements of the over 65s across all aspects of British life. Many of these awards go to famous faces from the worlds of film, TV, business, art and literature, but we also have a special category that recognises ordinary Churchill Owners across the country who make an extraordinary contribution to life in their communities.
“John and Derek were nominated by their fellow Owners at Cavendish Lodge, and chosen by our judging panel as the worthy winners. They join a prestigious list of previous Churchill Award winners including Sir David Jason, Sir James Dyson, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Sir Geoff Hurst, and many more.”
Lodge Manager Jane Scott, who arranged a special afternoon tea for the occasion, added: “We’re all incredibly proud of John and Derek. Their nomination was to recognise everything they do to help others here at the Lodge and in the wider community, including entertainment evenings, charity collections, gardening and general helpfulness. It was wonderful to get together and celebrate this recognition, which we all agree is very well deserved!”
