The Stephen Walker Cup

Miss Kaylee Harwood has been awarded the Stephen Walker Cup for 2025 in recognition of her tireless dedication and inspirational fundraising efforts on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Society over the past several years.

Kaylee has shown remarkable commitment to supporting those affected by dementia, raising thousands of pounds through a variety of events and initiatives. From charity walks and Bingo to Christmas fairs and Carol Singing, her fundraising campaigns have consistently brought people together, with a special focus on her cause and always including her beloved West Winch community.

Kaylee’s passion for the cause was inspired by personal connections and a desire to make a tangible difference in the lives of those living with dementia and their families. Her unwavering determination and warm, inclusive spirit have made her a cherished figure both within her circle of family and friends and the West Winch Community as a whole and all this whilst holding down a full-time role in her chosen career.

The Stephen Walker Cup is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to charity work and to those who make a difference in the lives of those who live in our community. 

Kaylee’s achievements stand as a shining example of how one person’s passion can inspire many.

What's next for Kaylee’s fundraising ideas?  Watch this space... we are sure it will be a resounding success and we wish her all the best.

(Picture shows Kaylee receiving the Stephen Walker Cup from members of the Parish Council)

( Left to right: Cllr Lamb, Cllr Collier, Cllr Ball, Kaylee, Cllr Johnson (Chairman), County Cllr Kemp, Cllr Thrower and Cllr Gipp)

The winner of the esteemed Stephen Walker Cup in 2024 - Mr Ken Manning

The year 2024 sees the West Winch Bowls Club celebrate 50 years since its formation. From its inception, Mr Ken Manning has been a member, and has indeed served this club with distinction, holding the various officer positions that the club employs throughout this period of time.

Ken, due to his involvement with the bowling fraternity throughout West Norfolk is widely known and respected. A spin off from this is that it has the affect of enhancing the name and prestige of the West Winch community.

In addition to his activities within the bowls club, Ken also represents the William Burt Social Club in our village Cribbage Team. He is also recognised as an active and accomplished player within the West Norfolk Bridge Club. 

Mr G Shipp presented the Stephen Walker Cup to Mr Mark Watson.

He has volunteered with numerous village groups over many years, serving for some 40 years on the Social Club including as chairman for the last 5 years, running charity Horse Racing nights and calling at Bingo nights for many charities, provided discos for the schools, scouting organizations at North Runcton and has often been known to run friends to airports. He plays Bowls and Crib for the village teams. His business Aersat Aerials has been supportive of residents for many years.

Each and every year, the West Winch Parish Council invites members of the community to nominate a parishioner, who has, in their opinion, served this community with extreme dedication, commitment and distinction for the last 12 months or longer; all of this for the betterment of the parish and its residents. The Parish Council then choose which of the written nominations that they have received is to be the next recipient of the Stephen Walker Cup. The winner will then hold the cup for the next 12 months. The Cup is presented by the Parish Council Chairman at the Annual Parish Meeting. The Winner's name and year that the cup is awarded is engraved with these details prior to the presentation.

Who was Stephen Walker?

Stephen Walker moved to West Norfolk with his wife Shareen and two children Amy & Keith in early 1976. He quickly established himself and gained a highly respected prominence and respectability as a Chartered Surveyor, and also for his charity work. He founded the company of Turnbull & Co. Chartered Surveyors in King's Lynn. Approximately 5 years later, the company was taken over by W.H. Brown (Estate Agents) where upon he was made a Resident Senior Partner of this firm. Prior to his move to King's Lynn, Stephen worked for 13 years in Birmingham in the offices of Edwards, Bigwood and Bewlay - one of the country's leading industrial, commercial and rating practices.

Stephen and his family became residents of West Winch, moving into No.1 Silvertree Way. He quickly became involved in village organisations. He was a enthusiastic member and Chairman of the amateur dramatics group called the "West Winch Players". He was the producer of many of its productions and also appeared in many of their plays. Stephen was also an avid cricketer and was also instrumental in the formation and running of West Winch Cricket Club. He was a member of the Hunstanton Golf Club.

Stephen joined the King's Lynn Lion's Club and was extremely active in their fund raising activities. 

He became 'Chairman of Services' of the King's Lynn Lion's and was heavily involved from its inception, its charity and its fundraising events.

Stephen later became involved in the sporting activities of disabled people in the local area. He eventually left the King's Lynn Lions Club to concentrate his efforts into forming the King's Lynn Branch of BSAD (British Sports Association for the Disabled). As team manager, he took local disabled people all over the country to compete in various sports and games.

The fateful day - Stephen's Untimely Death

At around 8-30 pm on Sunday 25th July 1982, Stephen was driving home from Thetford accompanied by his 7 year old daughter Amy when their car was involved in a fatal accident on the A134 at Northwold. Stephen was killed in the crash, but thankfully Amy survived although she sustained some injuries which necessitated for her to be admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a short stay, to be treated and recover.

Stephen was just 39 years old.

He had a private funeral at Mintlyn Crematorium, King's Lynn on August 2nd 1982, after which his ashes were interred in its memorial garden.

Donations in his Remembrance could be sent to the British Sports Association for the Disabled. Many heartfelt tributes were received from local people. Perhaps most notably, were tributes from the then President and the past President of the King's Lynn Lion's Club and members of B.S.A.D. recognising his enthusiasm, commitment and dedication to these organisations. A fitting tribute for his work in fundraising was also received from the King's Lynn and District Group of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament of which he was a committee member.

Local members of this West Norfolk community mourned the loss of this of the eminent man who had devoted his life to helping those not as fortunate as himself.

The Stephen Walker Cup

A short time after the accident Stephen's wife Shareen decided that she would take over the reins of team manager of the Lynn branch of the British Disabled Sports Association in remembrance of her late husband.

The West Winch Players decided to provide a sport related trophy to serve as a lasting memorial to Stephen Walker. This trophy was presented to Shareen by the West Winch Players Chairman, Mrs Christine Beeley. In her presentation address, Christine said, "It was felt by our members that there should be a permanent reminder of Stephen' connections with the different associations that he supported.

It is surmised that Mrs Walker held the Cup for a period of time. It is was then decided that the Cup would be awarded to a person within the parish who had excelled within their sport. In 1983 the Cup was awarded to Maggie of the West Winch Cricket Club and then in 1985 it was awarded to Ray Price of the West Winch Bowls Club.

Following the demise of the Cricket Club, custodianship Of the Stephen Walker Cup (SWC) was entrusted to the West Winch Parish Council. In their wisdom, the Parish Council decided to change the criteria of the SWC award from being sports oriented, to a Community Service award. Residents of the parish could then nominate an individual whom they considered had given exemplary community service for the past 12 months or indeed longer. The Parish Council would then choose the winning nomination. This concept that was adopted by the Parish Council; it continues in the same vein today.

Aftermath

Mrs Shareen Walker and her two children eventually decided to leave West Winch to return to the Midlands from where they originated. Stephen's name and work lives on in the form of the Stephen Walker Cup here at West Winch & Setchey.

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I hope that this missive goes some way to explain how the SWC came into being. Stephen Walker was indeed a good and exceptional man who served society with dignity, grace, commitment and dedication. His life and his endeavours clearly made its mark in the history of our village and its community.

Grateful thanks are expressed especially to ex West Winch Parish Council Chairman, Paul Foster; Councillor Barry Thrower and resident Mrs Wendy Galley for providing the information contained therein.

Compiled by : David Skerritt Resident of West Winch.