Ilkley's community spirit celebrated at town meeting

The  2026 Ilkley Citizen Awards winners and nominees

Ilkley’s Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday was an evening of community celebration and copious amounts of cake!

On Wednesday 18th March 2026, Ilkley residents came together at Ilkley’s Annual Town Meeting to celebrate the hard work of community volunteers, as well as to discuss local matters affecting the town.

The Clarke Foley Community Hub was a hive of activity, with various local groups showcasing what they get up to: residents learned about everything from the Soroptimists’ help with safety online to Ben Rhydding Croquet Club’s enthusiasm for the sport, from Ilkley Manor House’s spring programme of events to what time you need to put your running shorts on to participate in Ilkley’s weekly parkrun. Residents also got to enjoy tea and cake before the meeting officially started, which was kindly provided by Bettys.

Ilkley Town Mayor, Councillor Jane Gibson, welcomed attendees and gave a brief overview of what Ilkley Town Council has been involved with over the last year.

Councillor David Hesmondhalgh then presented an update on the central car park toilet refurbishment project.

Residents raised some good points during the Open Forum, which is the part of the meeting when Ilkley parishioners are able to engage in discussion about local issues. This then led onto the Ilkley Citizen Awards, which celebrate individuals who have made a remarkable impact on the community through their volunteer efforts.

The winners of the 2026 Ilkley Citizen Awards:

Outstanding Citizen of the Year: Moo Ping Boey

Moo Ping Boey and Mayor Cllr Gibson

The runners up were Judith Dickinson, John Jagger, James Saul, David Shaw, Vicki Street, Nick Babb, Ed Duguid, Dam Hammond, Samantha Hill and Becky Malby.

Young Volunteer(s) of the Year: Isabel (age 8) and George Peters

 Isabel with mum [left] and Mayor Cllr Gibson

Environmental Champion of the Year: Rob Knipe

Rob Knipe and Mayor Cllr Gibson

The Voluntary Organisations Volunteer of the Year Awards:

Sara Andrew – Ilkley Manor House

John Barker – Ilkley Community Transport

Michael Craven – Bradford Nightstop

Nick Hockney – Andy’s Man Club

icola Holmes – Friends of Ashlands

Gill Johnson – Ilkley Manor House

Stepan Pundiev – Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks

Cath McColl – Outside The Box

Claire Merrett – Ilkley Pride & Diversity Group

Dave Moore – Ilkley Carnival

Lisa Nutton – Reva Scouts

Carol Peel – Ilkley Manor House

Jo Phypers – CTI 2000

Hayley Whiteley – Upstagers

Ilkley BID generously provided Discover Ilkley gift cards for the four category winners.

At the end Mayor Jane Gibson encouraged people to nominate those in the community who deserve recognition when the call goes out for the 2027 Ilkley Citizen Awards.

The Ilkley Citizen Awards ceremony was a heart-warming reminder of the power of community spirit, and everyone left the Annual Town Meeting with smiles on their faces.