An estate litter champion, two volunteers who set up a suicide bereavement support group, and a council worker who organised Mansfield’s knitted poppy display, have received civic commendations.

They were awarded Mayor’s Commendations by mayor Kate Allsop at a full meeting of Mansfield District Council.

Ian Carnell, a Forest Town takeaway worker, was nominated by deputy mayor Coun Mick Barton.

He spotted Ian, who works at the Forest Town KFC outlet, regularly picking up litter on the estate.

KFC has an obligation to clean up its immediate area, but Ian was litter-picking the whole estate — every morning.

The mayor said: “Ian is always the first to volunteer whenever there are clean-up days, whatever the weather.

“He is always willing to go the extra mile to help to ensure that the estate is lovely and clean.

“His attitude shows great community spirit and civic pride for Forest Town.”

Coun Barton added: “I have known Ian for a couple of years and he leaves his home in Pleasley to cycle five miles to KFC in Forest Town at 6am.

“Before he starts work, he spends time litter-picking the whole area — and he does this every day. He is an absolute star.”

Coun Barton also nominated council events officer Abbey Clarke who, working with the Royal British Legion, was behind a project to decorate the old Town Hall with knitted poppies for the Remembrance Sunday parade.

Abbey, who also organised the scheme to yarn-bomb the town centre last year for the Queen’s 90th birthday, masterminded and co-ordinated the poppy appeal, which saw more than 8,000 knitted and crocheted flowers flood into the Civic Centre over eight months, from community groups, residents and schools.

Officers, councillors and members of the public set about the huge task of attaching the poppies to more than 60 square metres of ex-Forces camouflage netting. The project raised an extra £1,700 for the RBL.

Abbey said: “We were overwhelmed by the amazing response from the people of Mansfield and I would like to thank everyone who got involved by making the poppies, attaching them to the nets and even selling some of them to raise money for the Legion.
It was a massive team effort.”

Also receiving commendations, after being nominated by councillors Sean McCallum and Stephen Harvey were Vicki Zurek and Kelly Morgan, who set up SSG (Suicide Support Group) last January to help people bereaved by suicide.

It meets at the Friends’ Meeting House every Thursday from 10.30am to noon and has helped about 30 people since its launch.

It was set up after Vicki lost her brother, Lee Boughton, to suicide.

Kelly said: “The family of Lee suffered after his death and felt that there was a lack of support in the Mansfield area for people and family members who have experienced suicide.

“Both Vicki and I felt we didn’t want anyone to suffer in silence and wanted to give people who are in crisis a safe place to go where they can feel supported and not alone, and where they can talk confidentially about suicide without judgement, and where they can explore their mental health and emotional well-being.”

Vicki added: “It’s a self-referral group run by volunteers who are suicide-assist trained. It deals with issues such as grief, stress and bereavement, but most of all it offers support and comfort to those who really need it.

“We would like to thank the mayor for awarding us the commendation and for recognising the work we have done in the community.”

Kate Allsop said: “We are very lucky to have this kind of service in the area and I would like to thank them for all the good work they are doing in the community to help people to cope at such a terrible time, with such a tragic loss of a loved one.”

The Mayor’s Commendations are awarded to a person or a community group which goes the extra mile for Mansfield. Anyone can make a nomination.

Email [email protected], giving reasons why the nominee should be commended. Successful nominees will be invited to attend a full council meeting to receive their certificate.