A craft group helping mums who lost premature babies and children diagnosed with cancer was among the winners of awards recognising their community work.
The Blue Light Babies and its founder, Stockton paramedic Joanne Owen, scooped two of the gongs given out to recognise people and organisations who went “above and beyond” for their communities. The civic awards for outstanding achievements were handed out at Stockton Council’s annual general meeting at Billingham Forum.
Outgoing mayor Councillor John Gardner said: “Cllr Gardner said: “Blue Light Babies deserves recognition for the work it does in bringing joy to sick children across the country from its base in Stockton-on-Tees. Through Jo’s inspirational and dynamic leadership, Blue Light Babies makes and donates thousands of different items for use by the NHS, emergency services and the care sector.
“Jo Owen has a huge heart, never looks for recognition or praise and is immensely proud of living and working in Stockton. She deserves this award.”
Jo, from Thornaby, created the craft Facebook group in 2015, and it swelled to more than 7,000 members making hand-crafted items. In four years it donated more than 13,000 outfits for ducks which are provided by the Give A Duck foundation to every child in the UK diagnosed with cancer. The soft toys act as a teaching aid in hospitals to help the children understand their treatment, and Blue Light Babies’ outfits were sent to children’s cancer centres across the country and as far away as America.
Jo and the Blue Light Babies also gave comfort to parents who lost premature babies in an ambulance, by making more than 8,000 hand-made pouches donated to ambulance trusts across the country and beyond. Cllr Gardner said: “Imagine the trauma of giving birth in an ambulance knowing your baby is too premature to survive.
“Imagine the distress of seeing your precious child placed in a yellow waste bag because there was nothing suitable to wrap them in. Thanks to Jo Owen, a Stockton paramedic, there was a solution – the Snugglepod.
This is a small handmade pouch with a soft lining. A tiny, fragile baby is placed safely inside and parents can now hold their precious child for a while.
“Snugglepods have had a huge impact nationally and enhanced the reputation of the borough across the UK and elsewhere.” The Blue Light Babies and Jo Owen received Services to the Community Awards.
One of the other accolades, the Green Award, was given to the Mill Lane Community Garden. Cllr Gardner said: “The Mill Lane Community Garden has gone from strength to strength and is now a thriving little oasis in the middle of Stockton town centre. The group have turned an overgrown, derelict piece of land into a community-led garden growing vegetables and flowers, creating bug hotels and a fantastic community space.”
He said the volunteers who ran the garden secured funds to enhance it, ran workshops with Mill Lane Primary School and had plans for weekend meetings, after-school and holiday activities to “bring the community together through nature”. The garden had also seen the creation of a mural and Christmas events.
Amelia Howson and Myles Sivewright received Young Person Awards for their selfless work as young carers who provided support for a family member. They raised the profile and understanding of their roles through their work with the Stockton charity Eastern Ravens Trust, educated more than 50 professionals on Young Carers Action Day, developed a booklet to support young carers’ mental health across the country, wrote a newsletter, took part in an interview panel, co-produced a young carers’ assessment and reviewed the Stockton Young Carer’s Card.
Cllr Gardner said: “Young carers are a group of often hidden and unknown children and young people who undertake physical and emotional tasks which are often inappropriate and excessive for their age. This includes cooking, cleaning, doing the laundry and sitting with a person they are caring for.
“Although caring at a young age can be a positive experience… young carers experience isolation and many other challenges… Amelia and Myles have gone above and beyond for young carers in our borough.”
The Hampton by Hilton hotel was given the Service to Community Business Award for its dementia-friendly business, with all staff trained in dementia awareness, supporting 40 people at monthly drop-in groups. Cllr Gardner said the event brought together lonely and isolated people and people living with dementia: “Due to the staff’s hospitality and kindness, it has become a support group in itself. They provide prizes of overnight stays and recently provided a two-nights stay for one of the group, who would have been alone this Christmas.”
The women’s health team at Hartlepool and Stockton Health was given the Health and Wellbeing Award for supporting more than 230 people experiencing the menopause with drop-in cafés at Remember Me Tearooms on Finkle Street, Stockton since January 2023, clinics at weekends and evenings, outreach and drop-ins. Cllr Gardner said: “Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and it is difficult to overstate the change they have made.”
Lindsay Taylor was given the Carer/Foster Carer Ward for the support she gave to young people in her care including cooking, cleaning, DIY and budgeting skills, along with emotional warmth and security: “Lindsay is a phenomenal host. She currently supports two asylum-seeking children and the dedication and support she offers them is second to none.”
He said she was “deeply considerate” of the children’s background, culture, likes and dislikes, promoted their independence and respected their wishes and feelings: “She takes the time to sit with her young people, get to know them and welcome them into her wider family. Lindsay trusts her young people implicitly and they return this trust by respecting her home boundaries and show genuine affection towards her.”
And retired local government officer Les Southern received the Mayor’s Special Award for using his experience of regeneration and economic growth and knowledge of the commercial and voluntary sectors in extensive voluntary work including the last 10 years as chair of Tees Active, the council’s leisure provider. “It is fitting to formally acknowledge the unpaid time and effort imparted in his consistently modest and self-effacing manner.”
Cllr Gardner said later: “It was a pleasure to present these awards to worthy winners from around the borough and it was a fitting way to end my mayoral year. The community spirit across our borough is so strong and it was brilliant to be able to shine a light on some of the residents and organisations who help make that possible.”
Each winner was presented with a certificate and a £50 shopping voucher. He also gave long service awards to five people who had worked for the council for 25 years.
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