SEVEN weeks have passed since the 2014 Community Pride awards launched and inspirational tales of dedicated and selfless people in York have been flooding in.

Nominations opened for the thirteen categories of the Press's annual community awards on March 4, but with more than three months to go before the closing date on Friday, July 18 there is still plenty of time for you to put forward your local heroes for the recognition they deserve.

The awards, which are run by the Press and City of York Council and sponsored by Benenden Health, are for a whole range of people from children and young people, parents and carers, teachers, health care workers, sporting stars, volunteers and fundraisers.

Press editor Steve Hughes said: "Since the Community Pride awards began eleven years ago we have heard about dozens of remarkable people who go to great lengths to help others.

"This year has been no different, and the judges will have a tough job deciding between the inspirational fundraisers and volunteers who have already been nominated.

"But the people who really deserve our praise as true community heroes are those who would never dream of asking for recognition, so it's up to you to put their names forward."

The awards include three group categories - for a Primary School Project, Community Project, and for Service with a Smile by York business or charity.

Last year, the Community Project award went to the York Foodbank, set up in 2012. The team behind it impressed the Community Pride judges so much they awarded it the title of Community Project of the Year for its "wonderful voluntary response to people who have fallen on hard times”.

Now the judges are particularly keen to hear about community projects which have been quietly working to transform their corner of York, or bring light into the lives of people.

Although lots of good work is done by established organisations likes the Rotary clubs and Lions groups, this award was set up to encourage and honour the smaller and less well known unrecognised groups in the city.

For more information or to make a nomination go to www.yorkpress.co.uk/pride