A COMMUNITY conscious couple who organise events throughout the year have been praised for bringing a village together.

Roseanne and Tony Davies, known as Mr and Mrs Affetside, have been tirelessly putting on events in the village for the last 16 years.

To thank them for their hard work fellow villager Joanne Wilcock arranged for them to receive a Christmas Star Award from BBC North West Tonight.

Mrs Wilcock said: “They bring people together throughout the year and the villagers wanted to do something to repay them.

“The work really hard all year round, they never stop and always give up their free time to put on all the events.

“They’re known as Mr and Mrs Affetside because they give and do so much.”

The events that the couple help to put on include Affetside French boules competition, the Affetside summer BBQ, the village bonfire where Mrs Davies, aged 75, bakes all of the homemade meat and potato pies, the Affetside Santa switch and carols around the Christmas tree.

Mr Davies, aged 70, is also the chairman of the Affetside Millennium Green Trust, he mows the lawn of the green weekly and keeps the grass near the village name plinths neat and collects litter throughout the village to keep it looking clean and tidy.

Mrs Wilcock added: “I think a lot of people think it is the council who do the work to keep it looking neat and tidy but it is actually Tony.

“If they didn’t do what they do the village would not be the same, they are unsung heroes who really are the heart and soul of the village.”

The award came as a surprise to the couple who thought the film crew were there for a piece about local communities but little did they know they were going to be recognised for their hard work.

They were presented at the annual carols around the tree that was attended by a huge number of the village.

Mrs Davies, who moved to the village with her husband in said: “I was a bit overwhelmed, it was a lovely surprise and the award has taken pride of place on the window ledge.

“The main aim was to create friendship within the village and it took off very nicely from day one with all the activities that we organise.

“These days sometimes people don’t know their neighbours, they can go for years without knowing who lives next door.

“The people in the village are very generous, we are really proud of everyone.

“We will keep doing it for as long as we can, we will still be doing it in 10 years time hopefully.”