Pat Church is a winner in the Suffolk Heroes Awards

One of the winners of the Suffolk Heroes Awards is the Abbeygate Cinema’s Pat Church.

The seven Suffolk Conservative MPs, Jo Churchill, Matt Hancock, Dr Dan Poulter, Peter Aldous, Tom Hunt, Therese Coffey and James Cartlidge, chose their winners after the initiative was launched on Suffolk Day, June 21.

They launched a hunt for Suffolk people who have gone the extra mile during the pandemic with residents being asked to email their MP with a nomination of an individual they feel deserves to be recognised for their efforts as part of the Suffolk Heroes Awards.

Andrea Holmes, Abbeygate Cinema’s marketing manager, said: ‘’Award winners have ranged from NHS frontline workers, members of care staff and charity volunteers so Pat’s nomination put him with many other worthy nominees but we are thrilled that his service to the cinema and the local community has been recognised.

‘’Pat always goes above and beyond and his enthusiasm and loyalty never falters. It’s wonderful to see his commitment recognised.’’

Bury St Edmunds constituency MP Jo Churchill MP said: “The response to the call for nominations has been fantastic and reinforces what we already knew that Suffolk is full of some really amazing individuals.

“Although these awards are only a small gesture, I hope they help to show individuals in our community who give so much, often quietly, how much they are appreciated by their communities who have nominated every single one of them. It is kindness, generosity and a caring nature that makes Suffolk’s people one of the reasons our county is so great and these awards highlight that fact.”