Meet the winner of the Community Impact Award at Worthing Community Awards 2025
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00The Community Impact Award, and this is sponsored by Rocket Social Media, new award then for the judges, and Mel put in at the last minute, so we did it after many, many entries.
00:12Now this award recognises an individual whose efforts are profoundly impacting the community, and this remarkable person has dedicated her time and energy to supporting those around her, creating spaces for connection and conversation.
00:28Now despite judging and juggling two young children, a husband and a job, she selflessly gives her time to help others, making her an invariable asset to the community.
00:41Her kindness, thoughtfulness and ability to listen have provided a lifeline for many, ensuring that no one feels alone during challenging times.
00:51So the winner this year, ladies and gentlemen, of the Community Impact Award is Lamona Ponel.
00:58I'm shaking.
01:00And I have got three other members of the team along as well, that couldn't have done it without.
01:06Hey, who are you?
01:06We've got Sue, who runs our daytime walks, our Weaving Wellbeing Walks, Janet, who is our chief paparazzi, and Mark, who is very much a team mate for myself.
01:17Um, just, yeah, incredible. It's, it's been a wonderful, what, 14, 14 months?
01:2414 months at all?
01:2514 months of running walks along the seafront, um, and I set up a women's group as well, it's called Herd, to try and encourage women to speak up and feel safe, have their voices heard.
01:36Yeah, oh, I'm really safe.
01:38How often do you do the walks?
01:39Uh, every week.
01:41Every week. And you sit for the day?
01:42Um, Sue runs the Mondays and Friday mornings, and then I run Wednesday evenings, and then sort of ad hoc walks as and when people want to join in.
01:51Right.