Emmet was chosen from 18 regional Community Heroes, who’ve each won £5k to spend on local community initiatives. As the overall winner, Emmett receives £10k to invest on similar projects.
A unique schools’ attendance challenge, a Christmas market, an annual summer festival and a variety concert for Help for Heroes are just some of the community minded initiatives organised by Publican Adrian Emmett and staff at The Lion.
Bustling
Emmet said: “The pub has been transformed into the bustling hub of the local community so it’s brilliant to be recognised in this way. As well as supporting Help the Heroes and Huggard I plan to spend the money on helping to rebuild the nursery that was burnt down, buying equipment for after school youth activities and essential maintenance on our meeting room.
“Most of the other local meeting places are too small or too expensive, but this will enable us to upgrade our facilities and provide the room and refreshments for free.”
Enterprise CEO Simon Townsend said: “Adrian and his staff at the Lion epitomise what these awards are all about. By supporting good causes and putting local people first they have truly made their pub the hub of the community.”
Record year
Enterprise’s Community Heroes awards was launched in 2012 and is a scheme that recognises and rewards publicans who have gone the extra mile to benefit local people, attracted a record number of entries this year.
Entrants to the scheme have more than doubled in two years, with 320 pubs involved this year compared to 192 last year and 132 in 2012.
The awards scheme will see £1m investment from Enterprise over 10 years.