Best of Brandon Awards celebrates town’s community champions

Community champions have been celebrated at an awards ceremony for their ‘incredible contributions’ to their town.

The annual Best of Brandon Awards returned for its sixth year on Friday, March 28 and was held at Breckland School in Crown Street.

It was organised by Terry Hawkins alongside Lianne Spooner and Gary Brocklehurst and awards were presented across five categories: Group, Business, Young Achiever, Volunteer and Lifetime Achievement.

Mr Hawkins said: “These awards are a testament to the commitment and dedication of the community here in Brandon.

“It’s fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate those who make such incredible contributions to our town.

“The Best of Brandon Awards not only recognise past achievements but also inspire continued efforts towards building a stronger and more inclusive community for generations to come.”

During the night, West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy also took to the stage to share a few words and the event’s catering was provided by Edwards and Brown Catering.

After a live performance by Kim Carey, the first awards of the evening honoured community groups with Brandon Creative Forum claiming the top prize while Brandon Brownies and Guides and Brandon Day Centre were named runners-up.

In the business category, Brandon Chiropractic took home the top award while Brandon School of Dance and Brandon Royal British Legion earned runner-up spots.

Introduced last year, the Young Achiever category celebrated students nominated by Brandon’s schools — Glade Academy, Forest Academy and Breckland School.

Florence Tanner, Tina Sinapova and William Tyson were all recognised for their achievements both in and outside the classroom.

The night continued with the Volunteer and Lifetime Achievement awards which acknowledged individuals who have made a lasting impact on the community.

Katy Loxton received the Volunteer Award with Alan Chapman and Alan Rodwell as runners-up.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jackie Challiss by Mark Skinner in recognition of her significant contributions to the town. Glynis Clawson and Peter Ridgwell were named runners-up.

A full gallery of photos from this year’s event and previous years is available at www.bestofbrandon.co.uk

Nominations for the 2026 awards will open later this year.