MALMESBURY residents flocked to the Town Hall to applaud the finalists and winners of the town's annual Civic Awards.

Three awards were up for grabs, Citizen of the Year, Organisation or Group of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year Award.

Mayor Wayne Jones congratulated all those who had been nominated, "While there is a winner of each award, the truth is you are all winners and that is why you are here tonight."

Four people had been shortlisted for the Malmesbury Citizen of the Year.

Malmesbury Carnival Committee Chair Deborah Clogg, Heals charity general manager Judith Fooks, Gynnette Ranger-Walsh for her voluntary work with the young people of Malmesbury Beaver Scouts and Primary School were all up for the award.

However there could only be one winner, Iona Pinchis, recognised for her tireless work for the residents of Glovers Court over the last ten years.

Next up the Organisation or Group of the Year Award, given in memory of former town councillor Paul Dove who died in 2010.

Paul's former partner Lisa Huntley presented the award and trophy, having flew from Turkey to attend the ceremony.

Presenting the award Lisa said: "Paul loved Malmesbury and‎ its people.

"It is always a pleasure to be here and to recognise the amazing work these groups do for the town."

The three finalists were Malmesbury Community Carnival Radio, set up in 2017 which already has 800 listeners and interviewed 70 participants in its first year.

Malmesbury River Valleys Trust that bought, created and maintain the town's nature reserves thanks to the work of 20 volunteers‎.

The Trust celebrated both its 25th anniversary in 2017 as well as ten years of leadership from its Chair of Trustees, Frances Goldstone.

The third group and overall winners of the Organisation of the Year award were the town's University of the Third Age (U3A).

The U3A provide a huge and very diverse programme of talks and activities for its rapidly growing membership of 400 local residents, creating new friendships and breaking down the loneliness that can blight older people's lives.

Speaking at his last civic event as Mayor of Malmesbury, Cllr Wayne Jones said: "It is my pleasure‎ to host this special evening where we recognise the work of the unsung heroes of our community.

"It is quite right that we turn the spotlight on these unassuming people and groups.

"They do so much to make a really positive contribution to the lives of so many of our people and make their lives better as a result."

Also speaking at the awards ceremony town councillor Gavin Grant: "The special meeting of town councillors to decide who wins is one of the best and worst of our meetings‎.

"It's the best because you hear about the amazing voluntary work of so many tremendous people and the worst because we then have to choose the winners, an almost impossible task."

On a slightly discordant note, on the night it was revealed that there were no nominations for the Young Citizen of the Year award, for people between 16 and 25 years old.

Cllr Wayne Jones said: "This is the first time that we have no nominations for this award.

"I cannot believe that there are no extraordinary young people in our town or at our secondary school who are working to help others.

"We will look at why this has happened and what we need to do to make sure it is never happens again."