Stowmarket Town Council is proud to announce the launch of the 2020 Mayor Awards. Help us celebrate the amazing members of our local community who went above and beyond to help others during the COVID-19 outbreak.
This is your chance to thank that special person who lent a helping hand during your time of need. Whether they dropped off your shopping, collected your prescription, took your dog for a walk, or simply picked up the phone to have a chat. However they helped, let us know so we can thank them for their dedication during these tough times.
Nominees will be in with a chance to win VIP tickets to The Regal re-opening, a meal at The Mix or £50 worth of shopping vouchers to spend in Stowmarket. Entries will be judged by Mayor Paul Ekpenyong and Deputy Mayor Keith Scarff.
To make your nomination please complete a Mayor Awards nomination form telling us why you have decided to select your special person and what impact their actions had during the pandemic. Forms are available from shops around the town or you can fill in a form online. If you complete a paper copy of the nomination form please post or drop it in to Milton House, Milton Road South, Stowmarket IP14 1EZ or email it to: communities@stowmarket.org.
If you need assistance with the form please do not hesitate to call 01449 612060 or email: communities@stowmarket.org.
Nominations close at midday on Friday 28 August and the winners will be announced in early September.
We look forward to reading your entries and celebrating the wonderful acts of kindness performed by the residents of Stowmarket.
FROM THE MAYOR
It’s been lovely to see our town centre coming back to life. The market on Saturday was the busiest it has been for a long time and it was good to see so many traders putting up and hopefully enjoying a successful day of business. Of course, the market has kept going throughout the pandemic with the baker, butcher, fishmonger and greengrocer the mainstays during this period. And they have done good business by all accounts. I certainly have made use of them. I do enjoy strolling around on market days and picking up some fresh foods for the weekend.
The re-opening of other retail establishments, in particular our pubs and restaurants has been very welcome indeed. It was wonderful o be able to go down to our local, The Walnut Tree, and have a pint of beer with my mate Allan. Ivan, the publican, has done a good job of implementing for the social distancing rules which we were easily able to follow. However, there have been some creative approaches to these re-openings. One such is Jana’s Petite Pancakes coming up with the idea of a picnic in the Market Square which we were delighted to take part in. It was good to see many other people supporting this initiative on a bright sunny but rather windy Sunday. We look forward to more picnics in the Market Square so thank you Petite Pancakes for bringing us a novel way to eat out in the town this summer.
Another great idea we were able to take advantage of came from the Mill Bar & Grill near the railway station. They took the social distancing to another level with their glass houses placed outside using some of their car parking space. Small groups can book these for dinner and maintain their own little bubble. We enjoyed a fine meal there too.
Finally, for now at any rate, I must mention the latest addition to the culinary scene in Stowmarket. Ela’s Turkish Restaurant on Union Street was just in the throes of opening when the shutdown came into force. Their platter to share for two was recommended and what a feast it is! And what great service too. It was delivered at the time we asked and we were able to tuck in straightaway to a dish bursting with flavour. There were three different types of lamb and chicken served on a bed of bulgur wheat rice accompanied by a mixed salad. A sumptuous meal indeed!
There’s plenty to celebrate in and around Stowmarket so do venture out to take advantage of them. Everyone is making a big effort to ensure you can enjoy going out as safely as possible so do give them your support so Stowmarket regains its joie de vivre.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Website: stowmarkettowncouncil.gov.uk