Donna is the worthy winner for 2021 and here’s why:

Donna, the owner of D.M.E. Fitness, with the help of her customers has raised over £51,000 for charity, recently giving donations to Mary Stevens Hospice and Dementia Singing Friends in Wombourne, as well as supporting Jet Singh Trust in their efforts to get essential supplies to Ukraine.

Before the lockdown, Donna worked in three venues in Wombourne, but as her customers became housebound due to the pandemic, she worked tirelessly to provide the means to ensure the fitness and wellbeing of them all (as well as becoming a dedicated member of Wombourne Community Assistance Group). Donna put all of her expertise, gained from over 20 years experience, into creating on-line classes which could be accessed 24/7. She set challenges which raised the spirits of her customers, no doubt helping them care for their mental health.

For members of the group who were unable to manage online technology or who were housebound with no family members nearby, Donna made a video of all the routines from her face to face classes and delivered them to their homes.

Donna is a dedicated Wombourne Best Kept Village volunteer, and can often be found litter picking in the village, weeding, planting planters and organising their adoption, and setting up community events such as the regular litter picks in the village. She actively promotes the group on Facebook and Instagram, and recently organised raffle prizes from local businesses which, together with ticket sales and donations, raised £1000 for the group at their charity fundraiser.

She has also been responsible (with her help of her husband Dave and other volunteers) for completely renovating and rejuvenating Wombourne Village Hall. Donna has given the hall a complete make over, inside and out and is responsible for giving this historic building a new lease of life for generations to come to enjoy.

Donna is also a dedicated member of the Wombourne Christmas Tree Committee, bringing joy to many each year with the tree outside the Civic Centre. She also volunteers with other members of the community in taking the Santa Sleigh around the village, and more recently is a well respected member of our Jubilee Concert Working Group.

Donna’s dedication to volunteering is simply astounding. She is absolutely deserving of this Award and the Parish Council cannot thank her enough for being such a hard working and passionate volunteer in our village.