THE Community Pride Awards are a great opportunity to recognise schools that have a positive impact on the wider community, as well as their pupils, a sponsor said.

York-based recruitment agency, WorkwithSchools, is sponsoring two categories in this year’s awards - School of the Year and Teacher of the Year.

A spokeswoman for WorkwithSchools said: “We are proud to sponsor School of the Year. It’s a wonderful opportunity for schools, who are actively engaged in their local communities, to be recognised and rewarded for all their hard work and efforts.”

One school which has made a difference in its local community is Yearsley Grove Primary School in Huntington.

It has been nominated for a Community Pride Award in the School of the Year category by its headteacher Eve Morris.

It comes after the whole school took part in a Random Act of Kindness Week in October last year.

During the week, Year 5 pupils, travelled to Vangarde Shopping Park in York and gave homemade paper flowers and handmade bags of sweets to people, just to make them smile. They also performed Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ to shoppers. Year 6 pupils did the same, but in the city centre.

Pupils in Year 3 and 4 performed a song and gave biscuits out to parents.

Meanwhile, Year 1 and 2 pupils held a surprise assembly for all the teaching assistants in school. Children in nursery and reception made gifts to take home.

Miss Morris said: “We just thought it was something that would make people smile, but they did more than this. They changed people’s lives.”

A woman sent a card to the school explaining that she had just come out of hospital and was feeling sad when a young girl from Yearsley Grove Primary gave her flowers. She said she felt like she had been “touched by an angel”.

The awards are run by The Press in partnership with City of York Council. The primary sponsor is Benenden.

All nominees must live in, or contribute to life in, the City of York Council area.

Three finalists from each category will be invited to the awards ceremony at York Racecourse in October, when the winners will be revealed. Entries can be submitted to York Community Pride Awards, The Press, 84-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.

You can also nominate online at yorkpress.co.uk/communitypride

The closing date for entries is Friday, July 21.