Jeffrey Cowland

Everyone in the local community knows and respects Jeff. He works as a Social Care Worker with adults with special needs. He set-up a Horticultural Group within his Day Centre where 22 male adults in his care grow thousands of plants, make hundreds of hanging and lamp-post baskets for distribution throughout the local area. This provides a service to the Valley but, more importantly, gives each of his service users a rewarding purpose in life After work he is: President of the Rhondda Rotary club providing financial support in the local community and also to the Third World He is a support worker for Macmillan Cancer Care and is founder and co-ordinator of the annual Rhonnda Walk, an 11 mile trek through the Rhondda Valley in aid of Macmillan which last year raised over £35,000 He is President of the local Gateway Club (part of Mencap) which is an evening club providing social time for people with special needs He is a member of the Rhondda Polar Bears swimming club which is a swimming club for people of all disabilities He also provides vital care to his elderly parents who are both aged 87 and his father also has Alzheimer`s Disease which is quite challenging Over the years, Jeff has raised funds for many charities, walking with Ian Botham for Noah`s Ark Hospital, running the London Marathon for Children with Leukaemia, walking 53 miles for Mencap, etc He may be 61 years old but he lives a good, selfless life and really deserves this amazing accolade - please.