Southend on Sea Citizen of the City Awards
© Citizen of Southend Awards 2023

The

Judging

Panel

Philip Miller, a local boy, born and raised in Southend On Sea. Philip  began his working life on the side show games at the Kursaal, by his  20’s he had sold off his first rollercoaster and revealed the true  entrepreneur within. Philip is now the Chief Executive of the  Stockvale Group of companies which consists of Adventure Island,  Sealife Adventure Zooquarium, Essex Radio, Three Shells Beach Café, Sands by the Sea                                   and more.  All companies are based in Southend providing needed employment  for the local people. Philip is often approached by developers with  business opportunities from across Europe, but as a dedicated and  loyal Southend man, he prefers to invest purely in our town. Philip  was awarded his M.B.E. back in 2003 for various charity  contributions; supporting John Grooms, Fair Havens Hospice, local  schools and sporting clubs. Philip is currently on the board of the  Southend Hospital Trust, and also provides an annual free day out to  Adventure Island for under-privileged children involved with ‘Kids  Day Out - London Taxi’ and ‘Kids Day Out - Rotary Club’. Councillor Ian  Robertson approached Philip back in 2007 with a proposal to begin  an awards scheme to reward our towns un-sung hero’s. Philip and  key members of the community then began a committee to create  ‘The Citizen Of Southend Awards’. Mick Thwaites has lived in Southend for over 30 years. Mick has  spent most of his life as a Police Officer and the majority of that has  been with Essex Police. From 2000 to 2005 Mick was the Divisional  Commander at Southend and during that time he was the Chair of  the Crime and Disorder Group and Vice chair of the Local Strategic  Partnership. This brought him into contact with many outside  partners and voluntary groups as well as the numerous diverse  communities within the Southend Borough. His last role was as head  of operations for Essex and within that role for the last 3 years he has  been heading the Olympic Project for Essex Police until he retired at  the beginning of 2009. Mick is a firm believer that Southend has a  very caring community and that the Citizen of Southend award plays  an important part in recognising the wonderful work that goes on  across the Borough

Philip Miller MBE

Mick Thwaites

James Miller BA(Hons) MBA

James is the Operations Director of the Stockvale Group, and

has learnt business from the ground-up after 25 years working

for the company.

As part of his role, James Chairs the Stockvale Volunteering

Committee, whose mission it is to help as many people in the

community as possible.  The committee has led beach cleans;

taken part in ‘Sleep Outs’ to raise money for HARP and the YMCA;

and provided volunteers across the town from the Stockvale

team.  James also leads the Stockvale Fundraising Partnership,

which brings together charities and schools who are then

able to raise significant funds for all their different fundraising

goals.

James, together with the Stockvale team, helped win the Queen’s

Award for ‘Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility’, which

is widely known as a knighthood for businesses.  Stockvale were

the first in the industry to win such a coveted award and won

because of the transformational leadership programme that has

enabled over 1000 young people to have been promoted within

the company.

Deacon Sarah McDowall was a Methodist Minister in different parts of Scotland and then Cumbria before being stationed in Southend from September 2020. Her town centre ministry role includes serving as chaplain to the staff at Adventure Island and the Sealife Centre as well as being the minister at the Trinity Family Centre in Westcliff. Sarah is originally from the seaside town of Ayr, on the west coast of Scotland but hasn’t lived there for many years. Sarah is enjoying being in Southend and getting to know so many friendly people!  When Sarah has time off she enjoys spending time with her husband Archie and the family and exploring the local area, pottering in the garden and knitting. She looks forward to the day when theatres and concert venues will reopen.

James Miller BA(Hons) MBA

Sarah McDowall

Rev Heather Simmons Rev Heather Simmons is a Methodist minister in Leigh-on-Sea and a professional musician with The Daisy Bowlers. She has also spent time as a lay chaplain with HARP and Adventure Island before studying for ministry. Heather lives locally in Southend and loves to be involved in community projects that bring people together which share one another's gifts. She also runs two community choirs which perform in the town raising money for local charities. Heather and her family run a Little Free Library on the front of their house which supports their next door school. Heather's hobbies are spending time with family, her friends and  walking her dog. She loves live entertainment and art and likes nothing more than to support local talent with friends.
Rev Mike Walker is currently the vicar of St John’s - Southend’s historic church at the top of Pier Hill. Born in the North but raised in the South, he has no idea how to pronounce bath or grass but enjoys meeting people wherever they come from! He first studied engineering and pursued a career teaching secondary maths for 9 years before retraining for ministry in the Church of England! He loves the local area, making connections and pursuing the biggest questions of life & faith together with people - especially if it’s over coffee/beer!  
Rev Mike Walker
Melissa Aylott
Philip Miller, a local boy, born and raised in Southend On Sea. Philip  began his working life on the side show games at the Kursaal, by his  20’s he had sold off his first rollercoaster and revealed the true  entrepreneur within. Philip is now the Chief Executive of the  Stockvale Group of companies which consists of Adventure Island,  Sealife Adventure Zooquarium, Essex Radio, Three Shells Beach Café, Sands by the Sea                                   and more.  All companies are based in Southend providing needed employment  for the local people. Philip is often approached by developers with  business opportunities from across Europe, but as a dedicated and  loyal Southend man, he prefers to invest purely in our town. Philip  was awarded his M.B.E. back in 2003 for various charity  contributions; supporting John Grooms, Fair Havens Hospice, local  schools and sporting clubs. Philip is currently on the board of the  Southend Hospital Trust, and also provides an annual free day out to  Adventure Island for under-privileged children involved with ‘Kids  Day Out - London Taxi’ and ‘Kids Day Out - Rotary Club’. Councillor Ian  Robertson approached Philip back in 2007 with a proposal to begin  an awards scheme to reward our towns un-sung hero’s. Philip and  key members of the community then began a committee to create  ‘The Citizen Of Southend Awards’. Mick Thwaites has lived in Southend for over 30 years. Mick has  spent most of his life as a Police Officer and the majority of that has  been with Essex Police. From 2000 to 2005 Mick was the Divisional  Commander at Southend and during that time he was the Chair of  the Crime and Disorder Group and Vice chair of the Local Strategic  Partnership. This brought him into contact with many outside  partners and voluntary groups as well as the numerous diverse  communities within the Southend Borough. His last role was as head  of operations for Essex and within that role for the last 3 years he has  been heading the Olympic Project for Essex Police until he retired at  the beginning of 2009. Mick is a firm believer that Southend has a  very caring community and that the Citizen of Southend award plays  an important part in recognising the wonderful work that goes on  across the Borough

Philip Miller MBE

Mick Thwaites

The Judging Panel

© Citizen of Southend Awards 2023

James Miller BA(Hons) MBA

James is the Operations Director of the Stockvale Group, and

has learnt business from the ground-up after 25 years working

for the company.

As part of his role, James Chairs the Stockvale Volunteering

Committee, whose mission it is to help as many people in the

community as possible.  The committee has led beach cleans;

taken part in ‘Sleep Outs’ to raise money for HARP and the YMCA;

and provided volunteers across the town from the Stockvale

team.  James also leads the Stockvale Fundraising Partnership,

which brings together charities and schools who are then

able to raise significant funds for all their different fundraising

goals.

James, together with the Stockvale team, helped win the Queen’s

Award for ‘Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility’, which

is widely known as a knighthood for businesses.  Stockvale were

the first in the industry to win such a coveted award and won

because of the transformational leadership programme that has

enabled over 1000 young people to have been promoted within

the company.

Sarah McDowall

Deacon Sarah McDowall was a Methodist Minister in different parts of Scotland and then Cumbria before being stationed in Southend from September 2020. Her town centre ministry role includes serving as chaplain to the staff at Adventure Island and the Sealife Centre as well as being the minister at the Trinity Family Centre in Westcliff. Sarah is originally from the seaside town of Ayr, on the west coast of Scotland but hasn’t lived there for many years. Sarah is enjoying being in Southend and getting to know so many friendly people!  When Sarah has time off she enjoys spending time with her husband Archie and the family and exploring the local area, pottering in the garden and knitting. She looks forward to the day when theatres and concert venues will reopen.
Southend on Sea Citizen of the City
Rev Heather Simmons Rev Heather Simmons is a Methodist minister in Leigh-on-Sea and a professional musician with The Daisy Bowlers. She has also spent time as a lay chaplain with HARP and Adventure Island before studying for ministry. Heather lives locally in Southend and loves to be involved in community projects that bring people together which share one another's gifts. She also runs two community choirs which perform in the town raising money for local charities. Heather and her family run a Little Free Library on the front of their house which supports their next door school. Heather's hobbies are spending time with family, her friends and  walking her dog. She loves live entertainment and art and likes nothing more than to support local talent with friends.
Rev Mike Walker is currently the vicar of St John’s - Southend’s historic church at the top of Pier Hill. Born in the North but raised in the South, he has no idea how to pronounce bath or grass but enjoys meeting people wherever they come from! He first studied engineering and pursued a career teaching secondary maths for 9 years before retraining for ministry in the Church of England! He loves the local area, making connections and pursuing the biggest questions of life & faith together with people - especially if it’s over coffee/beer!  
Rev Mike Walker
Melissa Aylott