Jo Hopkinson, posthumously recognised with the Nailsea Community Award for 2024.

Nailsea Town Council has a Community Award Scheme, which recognises individuals or groups within the town for their outstanding work and extraordinary achievements. The scheme has been set up to thank people for their dedication to, and enthusiasm for, making Nailsea a better place to live, work and visit. The Council recognises and promotes these committed individuals and groups within our community and celebrates their amazing efforts. This year’s award is going posthumously to Jo Hopkinson.

Jo was well known to many people within Nailsea from her work as a former Golden Valley Primary School deputy headteacher, chair of Nailsea School governors and founder of Your Cancer Cafe at 65 High Street. Jo was also a very active member of Nailsea Town Council.

Jo was nominated by the community for her work setting up and running Your Cancer Café. The café was set-up in 2018 following her own cancer diagnosis and ran regular monthly sessions to support and allow people to come together and socialise who were in some way connected to a cancer diagnosis. The café gave a safe space to chat and share with other in a similar situation.

Cllr Anita Smith, Chair of Nailsea Town Council presented the award to Jo’s husband, Geof Delmege, at the Annual Residents meeting at the Tithe Barn. Geof collected Jo’s award on behalf of her family. Anita says “Jo was an amazing lady who worked hard for Nailsea in so many ways including serving as a Councillor on Nailsea Town Council. She was instrumental in setting up and running the Your Cancer Café. which has supported so many people suffering from cancer over the years. The council is really proud of Jo and her work and it is very fitting that she has been honoured with this Community Award.”

This year’s award is a handmade Bristol Blue Glass plate. Bristol Blue glass combines traditional shapes and design with clean lines to suit both period and contemporary settings. It is made just as it was during the reign of Queen Victoria when Bristol’s Glass makers first produced Ruby Glass to show case their talents to the world at the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is an ideal celebration of Jo and her work for the Nailsea community.