David Woods is officially East Midlands ‘Neighbour of the Year’

04 March 2022

• David Woods from Northamptonshire is Co-op Insurance and Neighbourhood Watch’s regional winner

David Woods lives in Woodford, Northamptonshire, and has been crowned the East Midlands regional winner in the UK’s Neighbour of the Year Awards by Co-op Insurance and Neighbourhood Watch. David has been growing hundreds of plants for people in his local area to donate for them as a way to raise money for the NHS.

David has an incurable condition that often means he is in constant pain, yet he continues to work tirelessly throughout the pandemic, even in the depths of winter to achieve his community goal. His initial target was to raise £1,000 for the NHS, but following his hard work and commitment, he has now raised over £11,300.

David is well-known in his community for his friendly smile and nature. His passion for growing plants has also inspired the local community to get green-fingered and spend more time in their gardens. To see what David is doing search for “David’s Growing Plants for the NHS”, where he posts daily what is on the stall and how much is donated. He often posts videos giving tips and advice for plants.

He also regularly hosts photo challenges and quizzes to raise spirits and community morale. David’s hard work and zest for life resulted in many nominations for the Neighbour of the Year Award from friends, supporters, and admirers in his village and surrounding area.

David Woods said: “I am so happy to have won the Neighbour of the Year Awards in East Midlands - it was such a surprise! As a community, we are so glad that we could help the NHS workers and say thank you for all their hard work.”

Marion Grey, who nominated him adds: “I am so proud of David and how he has stepped up to help members of the community and the NHS during a particularly challenging time. He is so thoughtful and generous with his time. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does next, he never stops.”

Charles Offord, managing director of Co-op Insurance, said: “The number of entries we have received this year was amazing to see. It’s clear that so many people are doing great things with their neighbours, and David really stood out and can be very proud of the work he has accomplished. It was heart-warming to read his story and all the incredible acts of kindness of people all over the UK.”

John Hayward-Cripps, CEO of Neighbourhood Watch, said: “We are thrilled to crown David as our Neighbour of the Year Awards winner in East Midlands. His hard work and passion for helping his community shone through and we hope his work will inspire many other people to get out in their community and make a difference.”

The Co-op Insurance and Neighbourhood Watch Neighbour of the Year Awards, now in its fifth year, launched in 2018 to shine a light on the UK’s unsung heroes who are carrying out work in their communities to improve the lives of others. Winners are chosen in the categories of Neighbour, Young Neighbour and Community of the Year.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Media Enquiries: Jessica Edwards: jessica.edwards@halpern.co.uk Roxana Caia: roxana.caia@halpern.co.uk

About the Co-op: The Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives with interests across food, funerals, insurance, legal services and health. Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates 2,500 food stores, over 800 funeral homes and provides products to over 5,100 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies and through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited.

Employing over 62,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of £11.5 billion. As well as having clear financial and operational objectives, the Co-op is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. The Co-op exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things they believe in.

About Neighbourhood Watch: Neighbourhood Watch is the largest voluntary movement focused on crime prevention in England and Wales. Over 2.3 million people belong to local schemes supported by voluntary Associations. Neighbourhood Watch Network is an independent charity (registered in England and Wales 1173349) that acts as the movement's national umbrella organisation. Membership of Neighbourhood Watch schemes is open to all and is free, although local groups may request donations. Neighbourhood Watch's website address is ourwatch.org.uk, and the charity can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.