This year’s Chris White Award for Contribution to the Community was presented to Elaine Crotty at Bunbury Village Day on 14 June 2025.
The award was created in honour of Chris, who sadly passed away in 2016 and was the Treasurer of both Bunbury Mill and Bunbury Village Day.
This year’s winner Elaine has lived in, worked in, and contributed to the Bunbury community for many years.
Many families will have known her as the Reception Class Teacher at Bunbury Aldersey CE Primary School where she was the first teacher their children met when starting “big school”!
Previously she had been on the Playgroup Committee and PTA at Bunbury School.
She joined the school in late 1996, retiring some 22 years later! Nic Badger, the school, Principal tells us “Elaine was passionate about eco and green initiatives as well as championing our Ethos. On retirement she donated a trophy to be awarded each year to a Year 6 pupil for their work on supporting and maintaining our school ethos.”
Recently Elaine has started to coordinate the Christian Aid collection in the village together with a Coffee Morning (taking over from Joyce Buxton) which this year raised nearly £1500.
Elaine has many links with St Boniface Church – she has been involved with the Church Fete for many years running the BBQ, she is the editor of the Parish Link magazine and she recently became a Church Warden.
In 2022 Elaine was a member of the committee for Inspire22 which saw 40 artists exhibiting flowers, photography, crafts, knitting, painting and much more.
Elaine has also supported the ALIVE group (alleviating loneliness in village environments) at the Nags Head.
Whilst the BVD Team felt that Elaine was a very deserving winner, in typical Elaine style, she said she felt very humbled as there are so many unsung heroes in Bunbury.
Many congratulations Elaine!