In mid-December Maldon will find out who the winners are in community awards that recognise their work to help others during the pandemic crisis.

Each day (Monday to Saturday), Maldon Nub News will bring you the stories behind the community heroes and heroines who have been shortlisted for how they helped the people of the district in their hour of need.

There are 10 categories in the Maldon District Recognition of Service Awards, featuring individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The thing they have in common is their dedication to the local community.

The winners in each category will be announced on or after 12 December by leader of Maldon District Council, Councillor Wendy Stamp, with a short video featuring the winners produced.

Today (Tuesday, 1 December) we take a look at the stories of those nominated in the 'Keeping Active' category:

Lucy West

Lucy's Nomination: "Lucy's clients have been encouraged to stay fit and active even if they are shielding by exercising at home. She has maintained the continuity of her club socially by asking for submissions and photos of clients' activities and hobbies. You can see all the effort she's gone to by taking a look at the Happy Hearts Exercise Facebook page."

Lucy says: "I'm over the moon to be nominated for a recognition of service award! It's been a difficult year for everyone and I'm glad that I've been able to keep in touch with my Happy Hearters and help them to keep exercising and stay healthy. In many ways it's been a lot of fun.

"We've had some great Zoom coffee mornings and I think those that were able to come really enjoyed doing some outside exercise classes from August until November. The weekly exercise videos have helped those that were unable to get outside and it's been a lovely way to stay in contact with everyone.

"I hope I've helped to keep them healthy and happy. I've missed them all very much and I'm looking forward to seeing them all in person as soon as it's safe to do so."

Maldon Park Run Team

The Team's Nomination: "The Maldon Parkrun Volunteer Team have lead the way in encouraging and motivating people to keep active by timing and sending in their 5k runs along with pictures of themselves exercising through social media posts and their website. They have hosted 15 virtual 5k runs throughout the lockdown period."

Karen Wells

Karen's Nomination: "Karen organised, risk assessed and ran sessions at Maldon Hockey Club for the juniors, complying with Rules for Stage 2 coaching from England Hockey. Numerous juniors has the chance to get active and play some hockey while keeping socially distanced from other players and coaches at the Maldon Hockey Club pitch. This was a six-week initiative that involved a lot of work and organisation. Lots of washing and disinfecting of equipment. New equipment and signage was required, ordered and delivered. Other coaches briefed and informed of the session details so the sessions ran like clockwork. There were regular updates to parents, other coaches and details put out on social media."

Karen says: "I am a coach at Maldon Hockey Club and I have been coaching the Junior Section for the past six years since one of my daughters started playing. I am incredibly lucky that the club supported me in qualifying first as a Level One and then a Level Two coach. The season finished abruptly in March while we were preparing for finals day. We currently have about 50 children from all over the Maldon district ranging in ages from 6 to 14. The children did not have a chance to see each other and end the season in the normal way.

"Having seen the effect that the lockdown had on my own children, being out of school, missing their friends and not being able to exercise in their normal way once the rules changed and new regulations came through from England Hockey, I looked at a safe way to return to hockey and then with the support of the Junior Committee was able to put plans in place to do just that. With the full support of the Club Chair, who double-checked that the risk assessment was not only appropriate but would keep us all Covid safe and the amazing children and parents, we tentatively returned on a very sunny Sunday morning at the beginning of June.

"The guidelines meant that we couldn't play any contested activities and we had to be in groups of five players and one coach. The sessions were divided into two age groups U8 and U10 and then U12 and U14, with a big gap in the middle to let people arrive and leave the facility safely. We set up activity stations with different skills and themes in my mind to keep the children engaged. We used our 'teamstuff' app to regulate numbers and put the children into coloured groups using bibs. It all felt a little prescriptive but the children were incredible and in spite of their excitement at seeing each other again adhered to all the new rules.

"We had lots of laughter and virtual high fives. The first session was quite an emotional one for all involved and all of us - parents, coaches and children - realised just how much we had missed being together and playing hockey.

"I am completely overwhelmed and feel very honoured to be nominated and very grateful that someone sat down and took the time to fill out the application on my behalf. I am extremely fortunate to be able to share my hobby. Hockey has always been a big part of my life and sharing it with my children and their friends especially this summer was an absolute joy."

Joani St Cliere

Joani's Nomination: "Joani teaches Zumba, Pilates, Yoga Bootcamp & PIYO classes and when Covid hit us all, Joani worked tirelessly to get an online version up and running.

"Despite problems with Facebook and Zoom Joani soldiered on to keep us all active, always with a cheery smile. She has continued to have a huge following as it's not only about our activity level but our sanity. We are able to have a closed group live Facebook session which means keeping in touch with those that we stood next to in class, seeing comments from our friends, although not seeing them we know they are there.

Joani has also sent classes via YouTube (again closed group) so that we can do the classes in our own time as many times as we like, including a guided Relaxation to ensure our wellbeing is also looked after. Joani obviously is running a business, however she is such a caring person trying to accommodate a huge number of people's needs. She does so with grace and kindness and genuine attention."

Joani says: "When I realised that I could no longer deliver classes to our members, I felt an incredible sense of loss. I have been teaching many of my members every week for over 24 years and I consider my class members to be my extended family. Class members range from teens to late 90's including the very fit in Bootcamp and Zumba to the less able in Gentle Yoga and Back Care.

"Over the years I have seen firm friendships blossom and each week we all come together to exercise but we also share our news about our lives. We have celebrated the highs and supported each other through the lows. I felt that it was so important not to cut those ties and to lose contact with so many people would have been devastating.

"Within a week of lockdown being announced, we had set up nightly online LIVE session where members could talk and interact and have some vestige of normality and routine that we were all used to. By switching to online memberships, we were able to reach out to our members and help them to stay positive and active at this very difficult time.

"The comments attached speak for themselves. I like to think that we made a difference and that our members still felt supported and were not isolated from each other. And we will continue to do our best to help people in our community tostay healthy mentally and physically."