British Citizen award for Crail community stalwart, Dennis Gowans

Dennis Gowans from Crail has been presented with the Certificate of Honour at the Palace of Westminster, completing the recognition and honour so deserved.

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It recognises exceptional individuals who positively impact their communities throughout the country.

Although the physical medal presentation ceremony had been temporarily postponed due to social distancing guidelines, 27 extraordinary people have been honoured and celebrated for their positive impact on society, their selfless giving, and their commitment to community.

Dennis Gowans was honoured for services to volunteering and charitable giving with a BCAv and presented with his certificate of honour from founding sponsors Places for People’s representative Roger Wilshaw.

Dennis has been volunteering with various groups in Crail for 10 years. He is heavily engaged in Crail Preservation Society, the town’s Community Partnership an, festival and Crail Folk Club.

Dennis led fundraising efforts, for community consultation, community hall business plan development and purchase, and more recently crowdfunding efforts that helped the community raise funds to purchase three tracts of land for environmental improvement from Fife Council - raising over £100,000 in total.

He is regularly seen painting or repairing community equipment and benches, or participating in the teams that mow the community-run putting green, driving the elderly to medical appointments and delivering community newsletters.

As Secretary of Crail Community Partnership - a charity formed and funded by the monies raised - Dennis works as a facilitator engaging with community groups to identify the challenges and future actions that can take place to improve the burgh.

Each Medal of Honour bears the words ‘For the Good of the Country’ and are presented to only a small number of exceptional individuals twice yearly.