Award for Community minded mum

Holly Milner receiving her award

A single mum from New Milton has been named Young Person of the Year for her inspirational community work.

Holly Milner,20, won the Raglan Housing Association’s Community Spirit Award
for her exceptional enthusiasm and commitment to her neighbourhood.

She helped to keep old folks on Barton Court Road going through the snowy weather by checking on them and doing their shopping and she put on a valentine’s day get-together for residents.
"It was a chance for us all to get to know each other," she said. "It was a really good day with face painting and biscuit making for the children and tea and cofee for the adults."

Despite being mum to a three year-old, Holly is now organising a scheme to raise money for a play park: "There’s nothing for the children do round here," she said. "There are a lot of different age ranges so we need to give them something to do."

Holly has also planned community day called the ‘big clean up,’ which will take place on March 26. Residents. "Lots of people can’t get to the tip so we will bring in big skips and charge them 50p so that they can get rid of their rubbish, " she said. "We’re also planning BBQs and car boot sales to raise money."

Holly received her trophy and high street shopping vouchers, at the awards ceremony in Oxford, from Kevin Murch of sponsor C G Fry & Son Ltd.
"I was shocked to get the warad, I felt over the mooon and it made me feel as if some of the work I’ve done is paying off."

Tracy Nicholls from Eastleigh, was also chosen as runner up of the Green Award for investigating the viability of free insulation for some residents at her scheme which helped residents make big savings on their heating bills.

All Raglan households across the South and East Midlands had the opportunity to nominate residents in four Community Spirit Award categories.

Raglan’s chief executive, Nicholas Harris, summed up the spirit of the awards at the ceremony, saying: "Raglan’s properties are just bricks and mortar and it is you, the residents, whose energy and commitment turn them into a welcoming community – thank you for turning our bricks and mortar into homes".