BASINGSTOKE'S first-ever A Place to be Proud of Awards event was a resounding success as it celebrated some of the remarkable achievements by individuals and organisations who have really made a difference in the town and borough.

The awards ceremony took place on the upper level of the landmark Festival Place shopping centre and local dignitaries, sponsors and finalists were welcomed by borough mayor Cllr Gerry Traynor.

Making the opening speech of the evening, Bernard Ferris, centre director at Festival Place, said the awards were a celebration of all the hard work that goes on in the borough.

He said: "It's about recognising the very best that the town and borough has to offer. It's about thanking and appreciating the people and places that make Basingstoke and Deane a truly great place to live, work and do business in. It's about recognising that our town and borough is a place to be proud of."

The various awards were presented by GMTV celebrity Dr Hilary Jones, who lives in the Basingstoke area. He said that the high standard of nominations had given the panel of judges a tough task in choosing the winners.

Representatives of the winning groups and individual winners were presented with specially-created glass stars to mark their achievements. Certificates were also awarded to the winners and the highly commended finalists.

Gazette Newspapers editor Mark Jones thanked everyone who had been involved in the awards, including the organisers and sponsors whose support was crucial to the success of the event.

He told the audience: "When the awards were launched last September, the aim was to put the spotlight on the people and organisations who have made a difference to the town and borough - those who have played their part in making Basingstoke a place to be proud of. Well, that has certainly happened tonight."

Article first published on Thursday, April 1, 2004