Voluntary Service Award

We are pleased to report that the Basinga Editor, Irene Allaway, has been awarded the title Volunteer of the Year by Old Basing and Lychpit Parish Council.

Irene has been a long standing member of The Basinga magazine, she was co-opted on to the original team as a typist by the then Editor, Mr Charles Parker.  In this role she was involved in typing the magazine on stencils which were then run off on a Roneo machine in the coach house at the Vicarage.  This was as far back as 1981.   Mr Parker died in mid-1981 after which Irene took over as Editor and has held this post ever since.   As residents of the Parish over the past 10+ years will have seen, the Basinga has changed out of all recognition by the use of professional printers, computer technology and the formation of a strong Committee of volunteers.  Irene has been central to all these changes and has been happy to adopt new practices which have made the Basinga the colourful and interesting magazine it now is. 

She has done this despite some traumatic changes to her personal life and a period of ill health.  She has been most diligent in the undertaking of her editorial duties through all these problems and is always ready to assist if other members of the team are in difficulties themselves.   She believes that a good quality parish magazine as a vehicle for communication is a way of binding the community together and has put that belief into practice for some 30 years. 

Also Irene has also been closely involved with a number of Parish clubs and organisations, including

• the Bowls Club - where she was Ladies Captain,
• indoor Bowls Club - where she was Treasurer,
• the Basing Singers,
• she is a regular member of the Church Choir, and used to sing with Basingstoke Ladies Choir,
• she is a U3A Member,
• and a member of the RBL Women's Section,
• and of course the Old Basing Art Group.

She also has a keen interest in Gardening and Genealogy. We all feel that she deserves the award.