The second annual Papa Owl Awards were held in Ryde last week, celebrating invention, creativity, skill development, creative thought and fighting against the odds to achieve extraordinary things on the Isle of Wight.
The awards were held at the Three Buoys Restaurant, Appley on Friday (1st March) as part of the Papa Owl Annual Dinner. The event, held in partnership with Wight Aviation Museum and IW Youth Trust, raised over £1,600 which will now be divided between these 2 local charities.
Carol Court of Ability Dogs (Sandown) and youngster Katie Barnicoat both received this year’s awards for very different extraordinary achievements. Winners were presented with Papa Owl Certificates and a commissioned Owl picture painted by local artist Tania Woolford. Both received a cheque to further their charitable work.
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Councillor Michael Lilley, Chair of the Papa Owl Awards Panel, said:
“This year we decided to use technology and through social media promote the Papa Owl Awards across the Island and ask Island residents who they thought deserved the Awards. We had a number of exceptional nominations and it was very difficult to decide.
“In the Wise Owl Awards we had four exceptional women who in their own ways had ‘thought out of the box’ and these included Carol Court, founder of Ability Dogs, Abby Lines and Vicky Paris who founded Isle of Wight’s Women’s Rugby Team and Kay Ounsworth who runs IOW Wild Bird Rehabilitation.
Malcolm Marshall, Chair of IW Youth Trust, with Cllr Lilley
“In the Little Owl Award there was a clear front runner, Katie Barnicoat, for her concern for Islanders who are at risk of cardiac arrest in her community. She independently set about raising funds for a defibrillator.
“This year we also had two other special awards nominated by Wight Aviation Museum and IW Youth Trust. We awarded Henry Nobbs for his life time promotion of Aviation Heritage on the Isle of Wight and the young people of IW Youth Trust’s Mental Health Taskforce for fighting mental health stigma across the Island.
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“All these Islanders are voluntarily and unselfishly helping others. They are the heart of the community. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for what they have done and do. Everything that is celebrated in Papa Owl books! ”
The Wise Owl Award for Life Time Achievement
Carol Court
The award panel gave the award in recognition of Carol’s life time achievement in working with and training dogs that enable those with young people with disabilities to have greater freedom and opportunities. Carol has shown great courage, determination, imagination, vision, fortitude, creativity, resourcefulness and social entrepreneurship in founding Ability Dogs on the Isle of Wight. She has inspired many people and established an important charity that links humans with animals to improve lives.
Carol said on receiving the award:
“I am really moved to get this award. I can talk about Ability Dogs all the time but when it comes to talking about me I I find it very difficult. In 2012, I saw the need and started with two puppies and now over 26 young people have dogs. I am overjoyed to see how their lives radically change. Thank you for recognising this work”.
Abby Lines and Vicky Paris of ‘Wight Wolves’ and Kay Ounsworth of IOW Wild Bird Rehabilitation were awarded Highly Recommended certificates and alongside IW Youth Trust’s Young People’s MH Taskforce, who were award for promoting awareness of mental well-being, will be given their certificates at a future event.
Little Owl Award for Perseverance and Inspiration shown by Young Islanders
Katie Barnicoat
The award panel gave the Little Owl Award in recognition of 12-year-old Katie’s courage, caring, action, community spirit, determination, and inspiration in identifying a need for a defibrillator in Bullen Village and then raising the £1,150 needed to fund the equipment. This will save lives as it will reduce loss of life to 3% due to cardiac arrests in her community. This action deserves much praise and shows with determination what individuals can achieve if they set their mind to it.
Katie accepted her award with her Mum, Emma, at the Gala Dinner and asked her Award be donated to Isle of Wight NHS Trust so they can pass it on to another young person raising funds for a defibrillator.
Emma and Tim Foster of The Three Buoys commented:
“We were overjoyed to be the venue of the Papa Owl Annual Dinner and Awards. We take great satisfaction in supporting local charities such as Wight Aviation Museum and Isle of Wight Youth Trust. We are delighted to have hosted the 2nd Year Award winners Carol and Katie as they are extraordinary people.”
