Captain Nigel Malpass has said serving as chairman of Ramsey Town Commissioners for the past five years has been ‘an absolute pleasure’.

Guests drawn from the local Ramsey community at a reception at Ramsey town hall to mark his stepping down heard Captain Malpass say he had been proud to have been invited to serve the people of Ramsey. He also took the opportunity to thank those with whom he had been involved in saving Ramsey Crown Post Office from closure, an achievement that embodied the town’s strong sense of community coupled with the energy and enthusiasm of the people who lived in the north.

He said: ‘It has been my privilege to serve as chairman, a role I could never have managed without the support of a wonderful team: my fellow commissioners and the hard working staff of the Commission, “the unsung heroes” of Ramsey Town Commissioners.’

He paid tribute to the tireless support of his wife, Gill, and daughter Emma and in closing announced the introduction of a new annual chairman’s award - ‘The Spirit of Ramsey’ – to be presented to an individual whose selfless dedication to the town and its people personified the abiding spirit of community which made Ramsey ‘the very special place it is’.

The first recipient of The Spirit of Ramsey award went to one of Ramsey’s best known and respected figures, Mike Boulton, for his legendary volunteering initiatives and work with young people in the north, notably nurturing their musical talent.

Captain Malpass will officially step down as chairman at the public Annual General Meeting of Ramsey Town Commissioners on Friday May 1st which will begin at 7pm.

Photo - Ramsey Town Commissioners’ chairman Captain Nigel Malpass presents Mike Boulton with the Spirit of Ramsey award. Picture Andrew Barton.