Borough gets ready to crown its community heroes

People all over Blackburn with Darwen have nominated hundreds of their local heroes for this year’s Community Volunteer Awards.

An amazing 329 nominations were received, showing the gratitude that people feel for all the work put in by the borough’s volunteers and helpers over the past year.

The shortlist is now confirmed and the nominees are getting ready for the glittering awards ceremony to take place at King George’s Hall on Thursday, November 3, hosted by BBC Radio Lancashire breakfast show host Graham Liver.

The Community Volunteer Awards celebrate the wonderful people and groups who make a difference in Blackburn and Darwen year in, year out.

The ceremony will celebrate the often heroic work and achievements of our borough’s volunteers, and give them a chance to shine after years of supporting other people and heping to make our borough and our communities a better place.

Categories include Volunteer of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Young People’s Award, Grassroots Awards, Good neighbour Award and Environment Award, among many more.

Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

Blackburn with Darwen is, and always has been, a borough that rises to all challenges together, and this is especially true of our community spirit. The Community Volunteer Awards embody this are a real testament to the dedication and tireless work of the people who volunteer day in day out to help make our borough a better place.

The nominees this year are truly inspiring and every volunteer and community champion deserves the highest recognition and thanks. We should be very proud that we have so many people in Blackburn with Darwen who give their time and energy to help others and make a difference to their lives. This is very much the best of our borough and I want to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved.”

Garth Hodgkinson, Chief Executive of Community CVS, added:

Can I thank everyone associated with volunteering and with the Community Volunteer Awards.  Volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities.  I would like to thank everyone of you for what you do.  Whether you were nominated or not, whether you win or not.  You are all winners in my eyes.

The Awards is a coming together of all that is best in the Borough to celebrate volunteering.  The Council, the NHS, local charities and social enterprises and the business community are all involved.  Can I thank all of you for what you do and in particular our sponsors, whose support is vital to help us to put on this event.

Sponsors of this year’s Community Volunteer Awards are: IMO, Star Tissue, Age UK, Blackburn College, BwD Carers, The Wish Centre, East Lancashire Hospice, BRFC Community Trust, Blackburn Rovers Football Club, The Wellbeing Farm, Care Station, Healthwatch, New Ground, SAMS, Shelter, DPM Security, Farley’s Solicitors, Interfaith Forum and Lancashire Women.