Community Pride Awards 2010 is launched (From York Press)

Community Pride Awards 2010 is launched

1:11pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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York’s community heroes work tirelessly and often without acknowledgement – but the annual Community Pride awards can change all that, reports Nicola Fifield.

THE search is back on to find York’s unsung heroes as The Press launches its seventh annual Community Pride awards. We are relying on you, our readers, to nominate the ordinary people who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to improve the lives of others in the local community.

The awards, held in conjunction with City of York Council, are also a celebration of the individuals who have shown bravery in the face of life’s hardships and challenges.

There are categories to honour community organisations, schools, volunteers, sports people, public sector workers and businesses – everybody who has quietly been doing their bit to make this city a better place to live.

Whether you would like to put forward a courageous child, a fantastic teacher, a spirited teenager, a health service hero, a one-in-a-million parent or a remarkable fundraiser, we want to receive your nominations.

Anne Stamp, project manager at SNAPPY – a York charity offering play activities for children with special needs – was the winner of last year’s Person of the Year award.

She said: “It was one of the nicest things that has ever happened to me. It gave me such a lovely feeling of personal pride and I felt so honoured.

“It’s just so nice to know that somebody appreciates you enough to nominate you and it buoys you up for the whole year.”

The deadline for entries is Friday, July 23, after which a panel of judges, including representatives from The Press and City of York Council, will deliberate long and hard to whittle down a shortlist from your nominations.

Three finalists from each category will then be invited to a glittering ceremony at York Racecourse in October.

Launching this year’s awards, Steve Hughes, managing editor of The Press, said: “This is your opportunity to give York’s unsung heroes their moment in the spotlight by nominating them for one of our Community Pride awards.

“It is an excellent event that gives people the recognition they deserve for making York such a great city to live in.”

The individuals and groups you put forward must live or be based in the City of York Council tax area. To make a nomination, please fill in the coupon that accompanies this article.

Send us a picture of your nominee if you can, but please note, we are not able to return photographs.

Send in your coupon with a supporting statement (no more than two sides of A4 paper) setting out why your nominee deserves an award.

The Press is delighted to announce that five sponsors have already agreed to back the 2010 Community Pride awards.

Benenden Healthcare Society is sponsoring the Health Service Hero category; City of York Council is backing the Public Sector Hero award; McDonald’s has offered sponsorship for the Child of the Year gong; Drax is supporting Teacher of the Year; and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation is sponsoring the Best Community Project.

There are still categories available for local businesses to sponsor. For details, phone Alyson Liversedge on 01904 567250, or email alyson.liversedge@ycp.co.uk

Entry form - how to make a Community Pride Award nomination>>