15th March, 2022

Old Silk Works club manager, Lou Gover, has won Wiltshire Life magazine’s Local Hero award.

The magazine nominated Louise for her tireless work in the first lockdown when she volunteered in a local care home, shopped for carers, collected and delivered prescriptions, fundraised tirelessly for Alzheimer’s Support and regularly cooked dozens of Sunday lunches for people in her community.

The judges were also impressed by the way she supported Old Silk Work families and her dance routines on TikTok to raise money for a jukebox for the Warminster day club. 

Lou, who has managed the Old Silk Works in Warminster since it opened in 2018, said: “I was honoured – and shocked – to be nominated and to win, but I don’t really feel I did anything heroic. The day clubs had been shut during lockdown so we were off work anyway and I didn’t want to sit at home isolating. I had PPE so I wasn’t worried.

'Lou is an inspiration to us all'

“I need structure and purpose in my life and volunteering during lockdown gave me that.”

The Local Hero award is Lou’s third nomination for her efforts during the pandemic. She was also recognised in the Sun newspaper’s Who Cares Win award which saw her attending a star-studded ceremony in London where she met Rod Stewart, Prince William and David Beckham, and in the prestigious Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Awards.

Grant Newton, Alzheimer’s Support head of day care services, said: “We were delighted that Lou won Wiltshire Life's Local Hero award. She puts her heart and soul into her work here at the club and in her local community and is an inspiration to us all. This recognition is truly deserved. Well done, Lou!”

What Lou did next 

Lou's nomination for The Sun's Who Cares Wins Award

The Old Silk Works day club