We are delighted to list below the Citations for those who were awarded the Etheldreda Medal at an Award Ceremony held at Ely Cathedral in October 2024.
Etheldreda Medal Award Citations / Commendation Citations 2024
Stephen Acklam
Stephen Acklam has worked for the charity sector in the London Enterprise Agency and the School Governors’ One-Stop Shop. He chaired the Schools Funding Network Trustees and Blue Assist UK (a charity helping people with hidden disabilities). He chairs the Carer Council of the Caring Together charity and is a school Governor. Stephen is a member and Senior Circuit Steward of the Methodist Church in Cambridgeshire where he is the Education Representative. He is a gentle, committed and caring man.
Ruth Banger
Ruth Banger is a dedicated administrator and volunteer at the Arbury Food Bank, enabling provision of food for nearly 200 people every week. Her sensitive and compassionate interaction with clients is legendary. During Covid she served as the nerve centre of the volunteer response of the Good Shepherd church and post Covid the City Council made her a Trusted Partner to administer household support fund grants. She gives so much, with “an open and compassionate heart,” wrote her nominee.
Roy Butler
Roy Butler is an active supporter of the Kimbolton Save The Children group, hosting and running fundraising events for the charity. He is a trustee of the Kimbolton ’86 Trust supporting with health care, housing or educational needs. He refereed the Primary School football team and chaired the Governing Body of Overhills School and for twenty years has been a Churchwarden at St Andrew’s, Kimbolton, providing financial guidance and expert care for this historic building.
Andrew Camps
Andrew Camps is the long-term Trustee, Secretary and Treasurer of the Swaffham Prior Parochial Charities, dispensing grants and educational resources to meet local need. Formerly on the village Parish Council and currently on St Mary’s PCC, Andrew has also been a steadfast supporter and fundraiser for the church link in Tanzania. He has been a Verger at St Mary’s for thirty years, probably more, and a much-appreciated general factotum for St Mary’s. He is “diligent, hardworking, caring, stoical and committed”.
Barbara Church
Barbara Church is as “an indefatigable, endlessly compassionate member of the Body of Christ”. Having taught in Uganda in the 1960s, she co-founded the Norfolk Vocational Institute in Nakwero, Uganda, nearly twenty years ago. Her efforts helped to build and resourced a school with textbooks, sewing machines and computers for essential skills training. In her home village of Watlington she organises the Wednesday Club and Food Bank, and is an active Lay Minister and Churchwarden.
Keith Day
Keith Day chaired his Parish Council for several years and secured funding to employ a community Parish Nurse to support elderly and isolated people and those with physical and mental illness. He initiated and raised funds for the extension to Holy Trinity Church, Hildersham, where he has served as organist for over forty years and churchwarden also for much of that time. Keith is an exceptional man - loved for his wisdom, compassion and humour.
Margaret Edwards
Margaret Edwards was for two decades a governor at Longthorpe Primary School. She has been a school examinations invigilator and volunteered for over ten years as a Youth Offender Panel member supporting young people to work through their offending behaviour. Having been Churchwarden and PCC secretary at St Margaret’s Fletton for nearly 30 years, a Sunday School leader and church project manager, she now holds the honorary title of “Churchwarden of Wisdom”.
Peter Harris
Peter Harris volunteers as fundraiser and Santa for the Ely Community Christmas Lunch. In 2020 he established the Ely Toy Bank at St Mary’s Church, collecting donations of toys for families in need at Christmas. His heart is in Cambodia, though, and he has raised many thousands of pounds for the Centre for Children’s Happiness - a home for orphaned or abused children in the capital. He currently financially supports 40 garbage worker’s children so that they can attend School.
Sue Hooks
Sue Hooks has been a trustee of the Cottenham Charities for nearly twenty years, many of them as Treasurer. A sometime Citizens Advice Bureau volunteer, she now assists at the local Food Bank and helps to organises a community Whist Drive and the All Saints’ Lunch Club. She is a Lay Minister, council member, chorister and flower arranger at her church, and the organiser of the village Shoebox Appeal, enabling 640 boxes to be sent to Ukraine last year.
John Houlton
John Houlton has served the community of Lolworth with dedication for many years. For three decades he has volunteered as the Clerk to the Parish Meeting and served on the village social club and village hall committees, raising funds, seeking grants, lobbying local government and organising the biennial Village Show. His practical dedication to All Saints Church, not least as secretary to the PCC and master of the heating system, is hugely appreciated.
Ann Howarth
Ann Howarth, a former school governor at Norman Primary school, Northwold, volunteers every week to hear children read to her and brings in home baking for the staff. She organises events, exhibitions and services for the school and is integral to its smooth running. Ann also plays a key role in events at St Andrew’s church: serving on the PCC, co-organising the monthly care lunch, assisting with preparations for the Eucharist, and helping to open and close the church daily.
Alan and Yvonne Jesson
Alan and Yvonne Jesson serve their community selflessly. Yvonne has campaigned for Romanian orphanages and Water Aid (raising £3,000), assisted at a Day Centre for the Elderly and been a Spiritual Director. Alan has served as voluntary chaplain for the ACF and ATC for over 30 years and is now Wing Chaplain for Beds and Cambs ATC, and RBL County Chaplain. Together they help maintain the fabric, ministry and thriving social life of St Andrew’s Sutton and are greatly appreciated.
Alan Jones
Alan Jones was a volunteer and fundraiser for Cambridge Hearing Help for over thirty years. He oversaw the renovation of the St Mark’s Community Centre and initiated the restoration of the Newnham War Memorial. He has cared for his community in all manner of kindly and practical ways including visiting older and disabled people. A member of St Mark’s Church, Alan has managed and raised funds for the organ and lighting projects and is daily found maintaining the church.
Nina Kay
Nina Kay served on her Parish Council for several years and from it became a School Governor. She founded the Newton Lunch Club twelve years ago and still cooks it, hosts a summer barbeque and runs the village Christmas Lunch. She established craft events for children and nursery school visits to St Margaret’s church, where she is Churchwarden and Benefice Safeguarding Officer. Her nominee said, “Nina never stops giving so much time to church and village, and never seeks reward.”
Steve Mashford
Steve Mashford served the Diocese of Ely for eight years as Warden of Readers, the first Reader to undertake this role. He gave freely of his time to support fellow ministers across the diocese as well as serving in national committees and on Bishop’s Council. This work was undertaken in addition to his lay ministry at St Vigor’s Fulbourn and the Wilbraham parishes. Steve has been a Licensed Lay Minister in the diocese for over twenty years.
Debra McGowan
Debra McGowan’s mantra is “we are here to serve the community”. What she began as a community coffee morning between Covid lockdowns is now Chenchwarton Village’s Warm Hub - both providing a lifeline for the locals. Debra organises craft fairs and fund-raisers and runs the village Easter Egg Hunt. She serves St Margaret’s Church as Bellringer, Churchwarden and maestro of the Parish Magazine. Her nominee said, “Clenchwarton would be a sadder place without her.”
Jane Oakes
Jane Oakes established a 24-hour ‘Community Food Cupboard’ in All Saints’ church Landbeach, using supermarket-donated food. This serves especially those in social housing and greatest need, and she delivers food in person to some households. To feed minds she has also developed a parallel free lending library of books and magazines. Jane set up a weekly Community Lunch, has been instrumental in registering the church as a Warm Hub, and introducing a monthly Community Breakfast Church and Forest Church.
Dilys Page
Dilys Page offers her time and compassionate support to families caring for someone with chronic illness and dementia - freely providing lifts to hospital and offering home support. She is an active fundraiser for The Leprosy Mission in its service of some of the world’s most marginalised people. A long-term member of St Andrew’s Alwalton, she has served as PCC member and secretary for many years and is involved in all aspects of its life and mission.
Kevin Potts
Kevin Potts responded to community need during Covid and set up a virtual Hub for local vulnerable and housebound people. It has now become a Monday morning drop-in at which Kevin operates a Citizen’s Advisor service and his wife manages a Food Bank. In the last year his services have been of particular use to asylum seekers. Kevin “has genuinely brought transformation to Bar Hill village and beyond, demonstrating the Kingdom of God in action.”
Michael Priestley
Michael Priestley was a founding trustee of Romsey Mill, a church initiative established to support local young people. After retiring as a Head Teacher of St Philip’s CE Aided School, Michael co-founded the Central Language School and remains on the Board of Trustees 28 years later. He has been a school governor of Ridgefield School for 24 years, mostly as the Chairman, and a Licensed Lay Minister for over 60 years based at St Philip’s Cambridge.
Fraser and Carole Reich
Fraser and Carole Reich have been nominated as an indivisible team for their outstanding service to their community. They gathered people from across the UK to form the Bexwell Zoom Church - a lifeline for many during the pandemic - and are active in Benefice and/or Deanery governance; in organising the church’s Annual Feast; in cooking for Café Church; in fundraising; and in encouraging their church to support the local Food Bank as an expression of the gospel in action.
Joye Rosenstiel
Joye Rosenstiel has been an active supporter of the Cambridge Churches Homeless Project and a Trustee of Whitworth House which supports destitute young women. She undertook inspirational work among students with disabilities when working at the Cambridge Regional College. She served as Churchwarden for seven years at Great St Mary’s at an exceptional time of two vacancy periods and the Covid pandemic. Her service was outstanding and speaks of her knowledge of the love of God.
Patricia Schofield
Patricia Schofield is a kind and resourceful woman who serves her local village of Linton in a generous and compassionate way. She visits newcomers to welcome them, visits the sick and invites the lonely to her home. She assists at the Make Lunch events for parents and children and, as an active member of St Mary’s Church, supports the Tots in Tow, Baby Steps and Messy Church events. She makes an extraordinary contribution to church and community.
Diane Wallis
Diane Wallis has been an active member of the ‘Kentford and Kennett Village Hall and MacLaren Playing Fields Association’ since the 1980s. She enabled the reopening of a Village Hall in Kennett in 2017 and has for many years organised Car Boot Sales to raise money for this, for the football club, Newmarket Band and village churches. A lifelong member of St Nicholas’ Church, Diane has been a PCC member for fourteen years.
Rachel Wood
Rachel Wood is a Trustee of the Hilton Village Charity which provides hardship grants for local residents. She is a fund raiser for Christian Aid and the Royal British Legion and an active contributor to the annual Feast Weak community event. She has been an active churchwarden at St Mary Magdelene, Hilton for nearly twenty years, and has been a foster parent for over 40 children. She is “a dynamo”.
Commendation Citations 2024
Nick and Lynette Grantham
Nick and Lynette Grantham are jointly commended for their support of Catworth’s Healthy Church Group, Women’s Group and Pastoral Needs group. They have served the Church as Churchwarden, PCC Secretary and Deanery Lay Chair, sacristan, custodian, welcomer, worship leader, singer and magazine editor. Their nominator applauded their “selfless spirit and enduring love for their neighbours.”
Tracy Grimster
Tracy Grimster does amazing work at St Mary’s, Cheveley which certainly deserves grateful recognition. Her Little Angels group for parents and pre-schoolers has grown from two children to twenty and she has established a Saturday group to meet the need. Her efforts resulted in a huge congregation at last year’s Good Friday children’s service.
Richard Hines
Richard Hines was nominated by his Archdeacon that he be “properly recognised for his enormous grace and wisdom.” Having served as a missionary, parish priest and theological educator, Richard, now retired, still gives five days a week to supporting local churchwardens, leading services, gathering clergy for prayer and encouragement, and pastoral work.
Rosie Holliday
Rosie Holliday has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the life of Kings Ely for over 50 years. She has been the Honorary Secretary to the Old Eleans Club and Charitable Trust, playing a major role in organising social events for alumni and the school. She is expert at encouraging and cheerfully coaxing people into action.
Linda Jackson
Linda Jackson is not for the limelight but her commitment to St Andrew’s Church, Sutton, her generosity, and gracious spirit deserves recognition. She is a willing volunteer for social and fundraising events, an administrator for the occasional offices, an efficient organiser of rotas and a fount of knowledge on the life and history of the church.
Sarah Jenin
Sarah Jenin has been nominated due to her generous and much appreciated support of two charitable groups. The Ely and District fundraising team for the NSPCC commend her for modernising their events ticketing, while Ely Community Lunches have greatly also benefited from Sarah’s skills in electronic registration for the Christmas Day Lunch. She is an “organisational marvel”!
Shirley Jenkins
Shirley Jenkins is a faithful follower of Christ and servant of the Church and the wider parish community, writes her nominee. As Churchwarden of St Leonard’s, Little Downham, she has been instrumental in maintaining its worship through Covid and without an Incumbent, leading Bible and Prayer groups and developing the livestreaming ministry of St Leonard’s.
Helen McMenamin-Smith
Helen McMenamin-Smith is a dedicated fundraiser for the MAGPAS Air Ambulance, whose professional care saved her life. Active in her community, she set up a local litter-picking group in Burwell and helped to run other initiatives including Burwell Environmental Group and Community Garden. “Helen wants to make a difference,” her nominator said, “and her enthusiasm is infectious.”
Peter Scott
Peter Scott has been organist and choirmaster at St Andrew's Church Soham for over 50 years. He also served as PCC Treasurer, PCC member and former parish magazine-typesetter for decades and remains a modest, humble and hardworking go-to person for many of the church's mechanical and electrical conundrums.
Heather Squires
Heather Squires serves her home church of St Andrew Cherry Hinton with enormous dedication: coordinating baptism and funeral arrangements, serving at the altar, leading Morning Prayer and being a kindly and welcoming verger at funerals. She took the lead in pastoral care in the last vacancy and also remains actively involved in Girl Guiding.
Pamela Wakeling
Pamela Wakeling has been the cornerstone of All Saints Boughton for 25 years, serving as Churchwarden throughout and variously as Deanery Synod representative, choir member, bell ringer and accomplished organist. Her fundraising through ‘Open Gardens’ and her dedication to the producing and distributing the benefice magazine has been invaluable. She is a generous and visible servant of Christ.
Michael Wallis
Michael Wallis is an unsung hero of Snailwell. As Senior Churchwarden he chairs the PCC and ensures Fabric and Fundraising Committees focus on renovation. He supports the Rector and ensures the Church is cared for and welcoming to a growing congregation. Michael makes outstanding contributions to Snailwell’s Church and community.
Rex Webb
Rex Webb is a “true, unique village character.” He is chairman of his local Royal British Legion branch and motorbike group. An active member of the congregation of St Mary’s Comberton, he led the fundraising for a much-needed church car park. His annual appearances as Santa Claus around the villages raise significant funds for local hospices and charities.
Horace White
Horace White exercised a real pastoral ministry to the village of Fulbourn whilst landlord of The Six Bells. He revived the church Fete in the pub garden and hosted the Harvest Supper. Every other day, for 64 years, Horace has wound the clock in St Vigor’s tower. He has just become a member of the PCC.
Angela Yeoman
Angela Yeoman has been a Churchwarden at the church of Wiggenhall St Germans for the last twenty years. She devotedly cares of the church, currently in vacancy, faithfully visits parishioners, arranges birthday cards, offers transport and has a practical approach to church maintenance. Her nominator wrote, “I can’t praise Angela enough: she has become our rock.”