A LOCAL volunteer, Graham Harris, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for his services to the community.
He was awarded the BEM in recognition of his work with two local community projects, the Friends of Leigh Mendip, and the Leigh on Mendip Activity Group, both projects supporting older people in the community.
He has also been a major factor in raising £500,000 over three-and-a-half years in order to make repairs to St Giles’ Church in Leigh on Mendip and bring it back into the community by providing a space for people to meet. Before, the church just had electricity, but now it also has running water, Wifi and a café.
The community cafe has been a really important place for older members of the village to go and make new friends. It has received over 1,000 visitors in its first year.
He is also a local organiser of the East Mendip Churches Heritage Trail, a cycle route which incorporates 13 churches around Frome, Nunney, Mells, Cranmore and East Mendip. This route is offered as part of the Somerset Churches Trust annual fundraiser Ride+Stride.
Once Graham retired he knew that he couldn’t afford to sit around, so decided to use his time to give back to the community.
He told Frome Times, “I feel very honoured to have received the British Empire Medal, it was very unexpected. The real surprise was when I received the letter telling me of my award! I’m yet to receive the medal and I’m not entirely sure when I will receive it, but it’s a great honour.
“I started the Leigh on Mendip Activities Group around 12 years ago as a way of supporting older people with loneliness. In 2004, a parish plan identified the need for such a group so I contacted Age Concern in Frome for advice on how to start up a club and give older people the space to meet up and chat. Along with their help and grants, the club was born.
“The work I do here is very satisfying. The members are all over 70, with our eldest member currently 94. We organise events each month, as well as provide lunch and a few local day trips. Other volunteer work I do is chair the Friends of Leigh Church. We had the news that the church was in need of over £750,000 worth of repairs. So it has been our aim since to help the Personal Church Council to raise the money to protect the building.
“My focus is looking after the heritage of the building. As part of the heritage funding of £200,000 we received the fix the roof, it was a condition that we have our own projects to raise money.
“I first worked on the village trail project that gave people the opportunity to follow a trail to all the historic and listed buildings in the town to preserve their history. This then developed into the East Mendip Churches Trail using the Sustrans cycle route. This route has now been used in the Ride+Stride event, to raise money for Somerset Churches Trust.
“We raised just over £1,200 during the event last year and I am much looking forward to this year’s event.”
The Ride+Stride is a national campaign to protect UK churches, raising money for their upkeep. Graham, along with other volunteers, has organised the event in the Frome area for Monday 14th September, incorporating 13 churches, which will all be open during the day.
Michael Auton, Somerset Churches Trust Ride+Stride co-ordinator says, “Ride+ Stride is one of the most important sources of income for the Somerset Churches Trust. Without the hard work and dedication of volunteers like Graham, we would not have monies to invest through grants to churches and chapels across Somerset.
“His recognition in the 2019 honours list, is both welcome and appropriate for the important voluntary work he has done for the community of Leigh on Mendip and Somerset.”
If anyone is interested in cycling or walking the East Mendip Churches Heritage Trail, please call Graham on 01373 812889 or email graham@dove5.plus.com.
