Dave has received an invitation to a Royal Garden Party in 2020.
This is a bit of background about Dave:
Dave Monks has lived in the village of Holmes Chapel for over 40 years and he has been actively involved in the life of the village for all of that time. Whatever he is involved with he is an active and giving member of the group. Here are some examples:
As a member of the village Wine Circle Dave not only plays a major part in the social activities but also contributes to the annual Bonfire Night and Christmas events where the Wine Circle sell mulled wine for a local charity. This November the group raised over £500 at the Bonfire Night celebrations which was donated to the Victioria Club. It is Dave who stores all the equipment. It is Dave who delivers it in his van and Dave who clears up and re-stores all the equipment at his house.
Dave is a long standing member of the local Gooseberry Society. Its Dave who sets up the events and ensures everything is organised.
Dave loves dancing so he organised the U3A 'Dancing for Fun' group which was active until 2017. He patiently taught people in the weekly classes and even organised evening socials to raise money for the U3A. Dave still dances at least three times a week supporting other organisers and sometimes acting as the organiser.
Since the inception of the Village Volunteers in around 2000, Dave has been a key worker. The Group looks after the garden areas in Holmes Chapel and carries out litter picking. It's Dave's van that ensures we have water to water the plants and to gather up the bags of refuse after a gardening and litter picking session. It is Dave who purchases the plants and compost and provides the power tools such as hedge cutters. If some work needs doing outside one of the regular sessions he will find one or two helpers and get it done. Lots of other people help but Dave makes sure it all happens and largely thanks to him the Village centre always looks well kept.
In the fifteen years the Christmas lights were put up by the Village Volunteers Dave ensured we had ladders available – now in the days of health and safety concerns the work is carried out by a professional contractor for a significant sum. Dave helped collect all the stored bulbs and cables using his van. It was Dave who went out after the lights were erected to check for failed bulbs - and climb the ladder to change them. It was Dave who thought of new locations to fix more lights, whether it was up the church tower or in a convenient tree.
Dave is a keen gardener and opens his garden for charity raising over £1000 each year. Not only that, but if others open their gardens in the village he is ready to help and give his support. He also assists elderly residents to maintain gardens which they now find unmanageable.
Dave lends his own gazebos to community groups for use at Village events such as the Holmes Chapel Summer Fair. He is always on hand to help erect and dismantle them.
Dave is not interested in 'management' - committees are not of interest. He just wants to contribute in any practical way he can. He freely gives of his time to help out local people and has to be pressured to seek payment for any expenses.
Not bad for a man who was 80 this year! Thank You Dave, for all that you do.