Today the spotlight is on the third category in our countdown to the Examiner Pride of Huddersfield Awards.

Here are the three nominations for Services to the Community and the winner will be revealed at the John Smith’s Stadium on Thursday, May 26.

Pride of Huddersfield Awards

Here are the nominees for Services to the Community:

Richard Izzard

Awards nominee, Slaithwaite Group Scout Leader, Richard Izzard with some of the cubs from the scout group.

Richard Izzard is quickly becoming known as Mr Slaithwaite.

If anything’s going on in the village he’s usually involved.

He was nominated by Brian Booth, of Slaithwaite, who said: “The drive and commitment this man has shown to the people of Slaithwaite is that of a champion and in my opinion is more than worthy of this nomination.”

Richard is the group scout leader for the 33rd St James Slaithwaite scouts, a position he has held for almost eight years and during that time the numbers of youngsters in the group has doubled to 102 with 50 on a waiting list and three-year joining list for beavers.

Brian added: “Richard devotes hours of his time ensuring the group is run smoothly and commits to local initiatives. He supports the beavers, cubs, scouts and explorer sections within the group and linking in with other community groups provides the young people in Slaithwaite with a positive role model and how they can react within a community to the benefit of others.”

Richard also sits on various community groups which benefit Slaithwaite. These include Slaithwaite Community Centre, Slaithwaite Christmas lights, Slaithwaite Moonrakers Festival and Slaithwaite Country Fair.

Brian said: “This doesn’t just mean attending meetings, but taking an active part. He is often seen out in the cold at weekends putting up and taking down the Christmas lights as well as encouraging others to partake. He is the person who stewards road closures during the Moonrakers Festival and very selflessly misses the fun of the event by taking part in running the events.”

Richard was a director for the Green Valley Grocer in Slaithwaite co-op in Slaithwaite for two years. He’s also helped out in neighbouring Linthwaite to set their Christmas lights up.

And to top it all he has just become a retained firefighter for the village and starts his training next month.

Richard works for StepChange Debt Charity in Leeds and lives with wife Sarah and children Becky, 13, and Dani, 20.

He said: “I love the village and just wanted to get involved.”

Wendy Marsden

Awards nominee, Wendy Marsden (right) with fellow volunteers at the Lowerhouses Worth Unlimited group, Guy Carter and Sam Bates. and young members.

Wendy Marsden is totally dedicated to improving the lives of youngsters in her area.

The 53-year-old has made a huge difference in Lowerhouses, ranging from making sure children have a good meal through to providing a youth club.

And she involves them very much in what she does so they learn as well as benefit.

Wendy was nominated by Caroline Lee from One 17 Design in Armitage Bridge, who said: “Wendy has lived on the Lowerhouses estate most of her life and has great care and empathy for the families living in her community, especially the young people.

“I first met her five years ago when we set up the One 17 Design Charitable Trust. Since then I have got to know a very dedicated lady who is passionate in her drive to support the children in her local area. Many of the children on this estate are from very disadvantaged families and Wendy is there for them, providing fun and educational activities as well as practical support. She is well respected by all and certainly makes the Lowerhouses community a better place to live.

“Wendy runs two youth club sessions per week in the church hall at Longley and Lowerhouses Community Church and a weekly cooking club on Mondays for children in addition to arranging numerous community social events at weekends and during the holidays. Children will knock on Wendy’s door if they need her and they are always welcomed.”

Wendy is also chair of Parents At Lowerhouses School (PALS), a governor there too and is involved in community activities through the school.

She has received recognition from West Yorkshire Police that the work she has done in the community has eased tensions in the area and made the people come together.

Wendy ran a Kids’ Lunch Club three days per week throughout the six week holidays last summer, in the October half term and the Easter holidays. The café served a much-needed two course healthy meal such as a chicken dinner or sausage and mash with a fruit crumble to follow to between 30 and 50 local children and some parents every day.

The food was prepared and served by children from the cooking club under Wendy’s guidance and was a fantastic learning experience for them.

Wendy also enlisted the help of a band of adult ‘washer upers’ and their children to support setting up and clearing up.

Caroline added: “There was a great team spirit and much needed focus for the holidays in addition to providing a healthy meal and promoting healthy cooking and eating to the community.”

Wendy said: “Being involved with the school I realised that a very high proportion of pupils were on free school dinners so it got me wondering what they did for food in the school holidays. I do it because my heart is in this community and it’s so rewarding.”

Wendy has been married to John for 31 years and the couple have four grown-up children and eight grandchildren.

All Hallows Churchyard

All Hallows Churchyard. Pictured (from left) are John Draper, John Wakley and Ken Roberts

Churchyards are special places – none more so than at All Hallows in Kirkburton.

Today it’s neat, tidy, a place of great tranquillity and a haven for wildlife and it’s even attracting visitors from overseas after all its graves and their inscriptions were researched and put on a website.

But it was so different 16 years ago.

For in 2000 both the churchyard and a new section nearby across a narrow lane were overgrown and neglected.

After relatives expressed their dismay a team of volunteers sprang into action and have been working on the churchyards ever since.

Sycamore trees were found to be growing through the graves so in the first year 40 of them were felled and the old yard around the church was cleared of brambles. More than 60 headstones had fallen over and needed to be put back up and restored.

John Wakley from Highburton has spent more than two years cataloguing all the graves – around 2,000 – and the 4,780 inscriptions on them and then his son-in-law David Williamson has put them on a website www.kirkburtonchurchyard.co.uk . This has helped people worldwide to trace their family trees and has brought visitors to the churchyard from as far as America, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Poland.

John said: “It’s now so much a better place for people to visit – it’s very clear. Although a great deal of work was done in the early years the team spends many hours each week maintaining it.”

Prime movers in the team over the years include Ian Gunson, John Keighley, Mike Lockwood, Steve Letch, John Draper, Ken Roberts and David Roe.

Scissett Middle School became involved by making bird and bat boxes and several birds can be seen in the graveyard ranging from robins, blackbirds and doves to wood pigeons, greater spotted woodpeckers and an owl has even been in the church tower. Wildlife includes hedgehogs, moles, stoats, squirrels, toads and frogs. Wildflowers have been planted and nettle beds on the fringes attract butterflies and other insects and there are wood piles for winter shelter for the smaller animals.

Ian Gunson added: “We have still many projects to complete. We aim to provide both an area for remembrance and reflection alongside a wildlife haven in one of the largest open green spaces in the centre of Kirkburton village.”

The churchyard has been awarded a Green Flag accolade by Keep Britain Tidy.

Award sponsor: First

First is delighted to sponsor this year’s Services to the Community Award category at the prestigious Pride of Huddersfield Awards.

Huddersfield has a real strength of both individuals and groups who make a difference in their communities and drive forward positive change.

First Group

Our communities are central to our business serving over 12 million customer journeys a year with nearly 250 staff and over 90 local buses as well as the successful Yellow School Bus operation.

As part of our ambition to continue attracting people to use buses we work hard to keep delivering value for money and high standards of service for all our customers by working in partnership with all our stakeholders across the region. To do that we also must continue innovating and improving services to ensure our bus service continues to meet the needs of the communities across Huddersfield.

Our success and those of our local communities are hand-in-hand and we would like to wish good luck to everyone shortlisted for the First Huddersfield Services to the Community Award.