A CHAMPION of the community is feeling overjoyed after winning a prestigious award.

Tesco Community Champion Rhiain Oakley, 39, won the Pride of Maldon award at a ceremony this month.

The nomination was in recognition of the projects she has overseen to help the town, including giving away tens of thousands of pounds.

Rhiain said she was “so proud” to receive the award.

“I have been the community champion for three years and love every minute of it,” she said. “To be able to work for a large company in a role that exists to support the local community in a wide range of ways is a wonderful thing.

“Although I am the ‘face and voice’ to the community, I could not do it without the support of department managers and store manager Andy McNamara.

“I’ve grown up in the town so I’m Maldon through and through.

“My nan won the Pride of Maldon award before, although I think she may have done much more than I have.”

Rhiain joked that she would be continuing the family tradition.

She added: “My nan was the reason I became a community champion – she was the inspiration.

“The opportunity was vague but knowing what my nan had done and having the contacts, I started on this road.

“I have helped run the carnival for two years. Now I’m helping and have helped with the Maldon Mud Race for the last three years.

“I find local groups to be in Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme and give away £7,000 every other month.

“Last year, I gave £42,000 away. I also regularly deliver baguettes to the MLSC Soup Lunches, and every evening I have pre-arranged charities, nurseries or clubs come and collect our surplus food, so we have no waste and it goes to a good home.”

The store is having a non-uniform day and cake sale for Harrysson Wright, whose mum Karly works in the Vision Express section of the store. The money will go to the five-year-old’s aftercare after the family raised £2,000 earlier this year for hospital treatment for a medical condition which affects his bladder and kidneys.

Town council clerk Jane Coleman said: “Having lived all her life in Maldon, Rhiain has an intimate knowledge of the needs of local charities and good causes, and provides many products and prizes for charity events, as well as directing surplus food to local community restaurants.”