Community and Voluntary Arts Awards 2025

The West Cheshire Community and Voluntary Arts Awards took place last night (24 April) at the St Mary’s Creative Space, Chester, hosted by MC's Samantha Giblin and Mike Lockley, from Little Actors Theatre in Neston.

Special guests included Joëlle Warren MBE DL, High Sherriff of Cheshire, the Lord Mayor of Chester and the Mayor of Northwich.

The evening started with a performance, by InterACT Youth Theatre, of an extract of NT Connections play, Ravers by Rikki Beadle-Blair.

The Music Award

The Music Award went to ‘Bumping into Culture’ who presented a series of classical, light music and jazz concerts in 2024, in local community spaces across west Cheshire. The concerts reached new audiences but also enabled people who had become socially isolated, living with a disability or financial hardship, to access the music.

The judges loved the accessibility of Bumping into Culture – bringing local people together regardless of background, to spark conversations, and enrich attendees lives.

The judges also gave a Highly Commended award to ‘Patchwork choir’. The choir provides a safe artistic space, that supports participants with disabilities, of all ages, to explore their creativity and learn performance skills.

The Visual Arts award

The Visual Arts award went to ‘Radiate Arts CIC’ who provide marginalised and underrepresented communities with access to meaningful creative experiences. The judges thought that the range and reach of Radiate Arts’ projects was fantastic. A huge range of art forms was used to engage from sculpture and banner-making to memoir writing and pottery.

Fallen Angels Dance Theatre took to the stage next to perform a movement performance piece inspired by the company’s digital dance installation “Samadhi”.

The Children and Youth Arts Award

The Children and Youth Arts Award was presented to ‘The Nest Northwest’ based at The Hive, Winsford. The project, run by Edsential Musical Routes, has supported young people from Winsford and surrounding areas to record their original music in a recording studio, release a project album, create music videos and perform at The Hive and at local music festivals including Deva Fest.

As so often, with this type of project, the feedback says everything. Here is a comment from a participant;

“Other than the Hive, I don’t have a very musical life, it gives me something that I can express and that I’m really proud of”.

The Performing Arts Award

The Performing Arts Award was presented to a three year project called Spreading Wings by ‘Fallen Angels Dance Theatre’.

Paul Bayes Kitcher, a former soloist with Birmingham Royal Ballet, founded Fallen Angels Dance Theatre in 2011 with Claire Morris. The charity specialises in engaging vulnerable adults, who are in addiction or mental health recovery, in creative movement programmes.

The judges were struck by the positive impact of this powerful project exemplifying the value of the arts for wellbeing.

A Highly Commended performing arts award was also presented to ‘Dee Sign Choir’. They perform around 35 times a year at a range of events and venues to raise deaf awareness and raise funds for Chester and District Committee for Deaf People and foster a strong sense of community within its members.

Next the audience were treated to a performance by Varvara playing the Bandura a stringed, Ukranian folk instrument. This was followed by a performance by Chester Ukes who aim to play and enjoy the ukelele.

The Unsung Hero award

The Unsung Hero award went to ‘Maisie Kench’ a volunteer librarian for Ellesmere Port Music Society Choir. The judges were impressed with Maisie’s dedication to the choir, her reliability, professionalism and skill. They felt she was the sort of individual who helps to keep the ‘show on the road’.

The David Wood’s award for Outstanding Contribution

The David Wood’s award for Outstanding Contribution for 2025 went to ‘Top of the Tower’. A project that worked with a very diverse group of people to celebrate the place they lived through music, film, drama and art.

Children from Blacon to Boughton, teenagers from across the borough, Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, adults with additional needs and people of all ages formed part of the company inspired by the view from the top of the Cathedral tower.

The Judges were impressed by the inclusivity of Top of the Tower and the connections fostered between different communities by this project.

The awards event was run by Cheshire West Voluntary Arts Network with the support of Cheshire West and Chester Council. The awards were designed and made by glass artist Jennifer Barker. With thanks to the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund

 

Award winners

Music Award - Bumping into Culture

Highly Commended – Patchwork Choir

The Visual Arts award – Radiate Arts

The Children and Youth Arts Award – The Nest Northwest

The Performing Arts Award – Spreading Wings Project by Fallen Angels Theatre Company

Highly Commended – Dee Sign Choir

The Unsung Hero – Maisie Kench

David Wood’s award for Outstanding Contribution – Top of the Tower