Community stars have been recognised for their achievements.

Greenfields Community Housing helds its seventh Community Spirit Awards, in which residents nominated the winners.

Chris Adkins from Witham was named Young Achiever.

He completed an apprenticeship with 2nd Witham Boys Brigade and taken part in the housing association’s positive engagement programme, which uses sport to engage young people and steer them away from negative influences.

He has helped the programme to reduce anti-social behaviour in parts of the town by as much as 70 per cent and a record 71 people took part in just one football session.

The Good Neighbour award went to Roy Hambling and Joyce Degrussa, who live at Norah Guilder House, a retirement and shelting housing complex in Strutt Close, Hatfield Peverel.

They have worked tirelessly to make the garden, entrances and patio areas beautiful and inviting, all at their own expense.

Roy also created a social club and organises birthday teas for his fellow residents.

Maureen Davies of White Notley won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Resident Involvement.

She had worked at Braintree Council to aid the process of transferring homes to Greenfields Community Housing and has since sat on Greenfields’ Community Gateway Group, representing tenants’ views.

She has also been chair of its empowerment group and a member on other groups, as well as helping to recruit key staff.