What a quick start to the year, we are almost through January already!! With the success of the 2nd Torbay Community Champion Awards having just completed, it’s really heartwarming to see how many amazing members of our community are helping and supporting those around them. It is a wonderful way to celebrate these individuals and groups of people, especially as organisations like ours wouldn’t function as well as it does without our volunteers, supporters, and connectors. A huge Thank You to those of you who do this day in, day out, and not always recognised for it, but keep going, as that is who you are!

FOR the second year in a row, we wanted to celebrate and say thanks to the unsung heroes who work selflessly behind the scenes to improve our communities. And what a day it was. Bay Church in Paignton was the venue for the Torbay Community Champion Awards 2025, and the building virtually shook as wave after wave of applause rocked the rafters and nearly two hundred people showed their appreciation, often rising to their feet to reinforce the point. The judges had whittled the 120-plus nominations down to shortlists of two to four across nine categories, and, as if that wasn’t difficult enough, they then had to choose winners.

CHILDREN’S Champion, Tanny Stobart, has been voted Torbay Community Champion of the Year. She was presented with her award by last year’s winner, Norrms McNamara, from the Purple Angel Dementia Charity at a packed ceremony in Bay Church, Sands Road, Paignton, last Friday. Minutes earlier, Tanny also picked up a Lifetime Award for her dedication and work with children and young people over a 25-year period, with the judges of the awards noting she has been the inspiration and driving force behind Play Torbay, putting the fun and joy into children’s lives, giving hope to many families for whom it has been a lifeline.

Torbay Communities’ Annual Report for 2024-2025 is now available online. Printed copies will be available for those attending our Annual General Meeting/the Torbay Community Champion Awards 2025 later today. Download the Annual Report

Working as a Community Builder in Paignton, I have the great privilege of watching some people completely turn their lives around. They may get in touch or be referred because their life has become small and lonely, and they feel pointless. I don’t have any special powers other than introducing someone to open-hearted, like-minded people, then watching the magic happen naturally. It is a joy to see people thrive, and that is exactly what YMCA Exeter are planning for young people in Paignton. They have teamed up with Torbay Council and YMCA South Devon to transform the old Angling Club on Cliff Road.

IN two days’ time, we will be crowning a new Torbay Community Champion, and competition is fierce. As with last year, we will be asking the audience at the awards ceremony at Bay Church in Sands Road, Paignton, to vote for who they want to see as the overall winner of the coveted award, won last year by Norrms McNamara for his work with the worldwide Purple Angels dementia charity. So far, we have drawn up shortlists for each of the nine categories, no mean feat considering we had to whittle the entries down from a staggering 120 nominations.

Have you made any New Year's resolutions this year?  It’s that time of the year when it is traditional to make resolutions and try to make positive changes in our lives.  Personally, after years of resolving to eat better, exercise more, be a better friend, etc., and not achieving any of them, I have stopped making resolutions. I mean, why set myself up to fail?   So this year my husband and I talked about things that we would like to be different this year – relationships that need to be mended, money that needs to be saved, bad habits that we have got into that we would like to change, no specific goals that we can fail at, but just a chat about things we can do to make sure that we live our life in a more positive way.

Judging the annual Torbay Community Champion Awards is never easy, but this year it was off-the-scale difficult. How can you choose between volunteers and community workers who have all given up hours of their time and devoted their efforts to others, never expecting any praise or thanks in return? Just being nominated for these prestigious awards is praise indeed, and nominees should be proud to have made the list, whether they then go on to make the shortlist or not. But that does not help the judges who have to narrow each of the categories down to just three.

The start of a new year is a powerful time for reflection, renewal, and positive change. As the first quarter of 2026 unfolds, it offers a wonderful opportunity to focus on personal growth and set meaningful goals for the year ahead. What would you like to achieve? Perhaps you’d like more energy and vitality, improved fitness, healthier eating habits, better sleep, or stronger mental wellbeing. Maybe your goal is to lose weight, reduce alcohol intake, stop smoking, or simply feel more balanced and connected. Whatever your aspiration, you don’t have to do it alone.

Free tickets are now available to book online for this event, taking place on Friday, 23rd January, at Bay Church, Sands Road, Paignton, 2:30-5:30pm. To book your tickets, visit our Eventbrite page. Or if you're struggling to book via Eventbrite, please email info@torbaycdt.org.uk or phone us on 01803 212638, and we'll help you from there. Please note, we will be inviting finalists separately next week (who will also be announced next week), as we've reserved tickets especially for you and your guests. Minutes for our previous Annual General Meeting…

Happy New Year! A week in already, and if you were looking forward to a quiet one, then it has not got off to a great start. But world politics apart, we can only hope for calmer, more prosperous prospects here in Torbay with charities and voluntary bodies focused on helping people live their best lives. We are also off to a flying start with a staggering 140 nominations in our Community Champion Awards, which celebrate the very best of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. The judges meet on Friday to whittle the entries down to a shortlist of just three for each of the nine categories, covering a broad spectrum and targeting every aspect of volunteering and community work in Torbay.

It’s the final call to nominate your Community Champions for 2025. Entries close at midnight on Sunday, January 4th and then it will be up to a panel of judges to come up with a shortlist of three for each of the nine categories, all of whom will be invited to a presentation ceremony at Bay Church in Sands Road, Paignton, on Friday, January 23rd. Competition in most categories is fierce, though there is always room for more, so don’t let the New Year celebrations get in the way of you celebrating and thanking that special person who makes a difference in your life.

Our guest contributor today is Kevin Dixon, volunteer chair of Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay Have we forgotten the misery and dangers of getting the flu? Despite widespread access to vaccination services, uptake among at-risk groups across Torbay seems to be declining. This raises urgent public health concerns as the flu is a serious illness. In response, NHS bosses in the South West have issued a last chance call for people to get their flu jab to be protected ahead of the festive holidays, as flu hospitalisations in the region surge by three quarters (76%) in just one week.

Can you bring the element of order to a complex, emergent and un-prescribed programme? Do you believe systemic change is possible? Are you passionate about logistics and people in equal measure? Do you want to see long-term change in Torbay? We want to hear from you if you are interested in working at the heart of an exciting approach to change in Torbay. Utilising an innovative and long-term funding opportunity from LocalMotion, we are collaborating across sectors and communities in Torbay to: ● Work together differently, with authenticity and trust.

‘Tis that time of year when there is so much to celebrate. For people on their own this Christmas, Space at Our Table is once again offering the opportunity for isolated people to have a special Christmas day. This free event is at St. Mary the Virgin Church Hall, St. Marychurch TQ1 4PZ from 12pm to 4pm and includes a wonderful Christmas lunch, music, raffle and bingo. Booking is essential. Please call 07356 231796 and leave a message. Free transport can also be provided for people living in Torquay and Paignton.

NOMINATIONS continue to come in for the Torbay Community Champion Awards, but we look forward to receiving more. Deadline for nominations is midnight on Sunday, January 4th, but don’t leave it until the last minute, as Christmas and New Year might mean you forget. So far, there is a good spread across the nine categories, though we would like to see more in the Emergency Worker of the Year Award, which was last year won by Angie Manning from What’s Your Problem. However, it is a broad category and could well feature someone from the RNLI, coastguard, ambulance, fire service or the police, that is up to you.

At the heart of Christmas is community, connection and kindness. Christmas is often described as the most wonderful time of the year, and while the twinkling lights, festive music, and joyful gatherings all play their part, the true magic of the season lies in the spirit of togetherness. Beyond the presents and parties, Christmas is a reminder of what matters most: community, compassion, and the connection with the people around us. At the centre of the celebration are family and friends. Christmas gives us the chance to step away from the rush of everyday life and enjoy quality time with the people who bring warmth and meaning to our world. 

Each week, I get to chat with some truly inspiring people on my Volunteer Show, which goes out each Tuesday between 10 am and 1 pm on Riviera FM. Over the course of a year, I have spent many happy hours talking to people who more often than not do not fully recognise the importance of what they do, nor how they help change lives. To a man and a woman, they are modest and begin the show not really knowing why I am so keen to get them on the radio, to talk about their work, but they are all incredible, and I always get a reaction from our listeners.

We celebrated a few big birthdays in Wellswood recently! Talented Dennis, who plays guitar and sings for Music at the Museum, celebrated his 90th birthday with friends and family. On Tuesday, the 9th December at 2pm – 3.30pm, Dennis is returning to play and sing Xmas carols and songs at the Museum, after a break while it was closed for a while. There will be hot drinks and mince pies. Come along to join us to listen or sing with Dennis in the café at Torquay Museum. Wonderful Eva, who was in the Wrens during the war, based at Bletchley Park, was one hundred and one years old!

Is there anything better in a community than good neighbours? Probably not. They are the glue that holds communities together; they look out for each other, step up when needed, and are always there for one another. In fact, the only thing better than a good neighbour is two good neighbours! Good neighbours play a vital role in fostering a sense of community and enhancing the quality of life in areas across the Bay. A good neighbour is often characterised by their willingness to help, respect for boundaries, and ability to communicate effectively.

We are getting into the Christmas spirit here at Torbay Communities, and what better way to celebrate all things community this year than with a festive advent calendar? Head over to our virtual advent calendar, and open your first door today. Don't forget to keep going back each day, until December 24th. There are no prizes, just the nice warm feeling of a job well done...

I love music.  Believe me, I have little talent playing an instrument, but listening to music is so important.  Finding hidden gems, feel-good anthems, music that makes you laugh, smile or cry.  As a Community Builder, I listen to music in the car between visits and meetings.  I meet people who truly are lonely and isolated.  But with the radio on, you listen to the choices of the DJ.  It might be REM’s Shiny Happy People, songs full of joy or something completely different. There are many songs about loneliness - Green Day’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams, The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby, Roy Orbison’s Only the Lonely, to name a few.

NOMINATIONS are already starting to come in for the prestigious Community Champion Awards 2025, and we are looking forward to receiving many, many more. Last year, we were delighted to get an incredible 180 entries across the nine categories, and the judges struggled to come up with a shortlist of three for each. And now they are preparing to do it all again. Please don’t let festivities get in the way, because you only have until midnight on Sunday, January 4th, to get your nominations in here on the Torbay Communities website…

Joey here, talking about Sports and space-related activity. Bringing these two areas of focus together makes me think of the 1996 movie “Space Jam”. This was one of my favourite childhood films featuring the Looney Tunes, Moronic Aliens, Michael Jordon, and other famous basketball legends. An inspiring story of believing you can come back when the odds feel against you, chasing your dreams, rallying together to empower others, and celebrating diversity. I love the power of a good story and how that can resonate, stay with you and motivate you to take positive steps in your life.

They’re back, the Torbay Community Champion Awards have launched to celebrate the very best of our communities and those who live in them. It is your chance to say a very public thank you to someone who deserves recognition and has gone the extra mile in their role, helping make the Bay a brighter and more inspiring place to live. Torbay Communities has again teamed up with the Torbay Weekly to shine a spotlight on remarkable individuals in the Bay. We aim to celebrate and honour those who contribute so much to our communities, particularly within the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector.