Tipton Civic Society: TIPTONIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Tiptonian of the Year Award was established in 1992 to recognise people who have made a special contribution to Tipton and its community through voluntary work. The Award was sponsored from 1992 to 1995 by Pennington Insurance Brokers Ltd.and thereafter by the Tipton & Coseley Building Society who also donated a Tiptonian Roll of Honour board which is now on display in Tipton Library.
It was with great regret that the Society took the decision not to continue with the Award after 2013. The reason for this was the appearance of the Pride of Tipton Awards, organised by the RSA Academy with sponsorship from Asda and the local Police Team, which somewhat took the wind out of our sails. Sadly the RSA did not consult us on the possibility of working together or even acknowledge our pioneering work over a period of 22 years. The Pride of Tipton Awards did not survive the Covid epidemic and the RSA Academy has since been rebranded as the Gospel Oak School.

In 2008 the Tipton & Coseley Building Society sponsored a
Roll of Honour board for the winners of the award.

On 28th September 2008 Jason Breeze of the T&CBS hands over the board to award organiser Robert Williams of the TCS outside the Building Society headquarters in Owen Street.

On 12th September 2009 Chris Martin, chief executive of the Tipton & Coseley Building Society unveils the Roll of Honour in Tipton Library watched by Robert Williams and the 1997 Tiptonian of the Year, Joe Gripton.

The first Tiptonian winner was Ray Brothwood, nominated for his prodigious fundraising for local disabled children. Ray subsequently joined the Civic Society committee and was later elected as chairman. In 2008 he was awarded the MBE in further recognition of his charity work.

Each autumn the appeal went out in Tipton and district for nominations and the Awards were presented at a special dinner in November each year with the winner and runner up receiving a cheque for a charity of their choice plus a commemorative trophy. The list of winners is as follows:

1992 Ray Brothwood

1993 Joe Drew

1994 Sid Watson

1995 Jenny Morris

1996 Pete Allen

1997 Joe Gripton

1998 Ray Harrison

1999 Doris Oakley

2000 Malcolm Beckley

2001 Jim Flavell

2002 Dave Bartley & Pat Griffiths

2003 Pauline Hodgetts