Leader’s Award Nominations Open

Know someone who strives to make our community stronger and more united? One Voice Blackburn is calling for nominations for the Leader’s Award in the 2024 1V Awards.

The Leader’s Award will acknowledge and reward an individual or an organisation that has shown strong leadership throughout the borough, enhancing the reputation of the town and local residents. It will also recognize someone who has a strong ethos of integration and cohesion.

The Leader’s Award is part of the hugely successful 1V Awards Dinner. These prestigious community awards, now in their eighth year, celebrate local people from all walks of life who go over and above to make Blackburn better.

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

The 1V Awards are fully established as one of the best events in the local community calendar.

It’s so powerful and fills you with pride as you see people coming together and celebrating the best of Blackburn. It’s great to hear so many stories about the impact people are having, giving of themselves for the greater good.

For me this focus on all that’s good in the borough and the unity we have is one of the most important things we can do. I’d really like to hear about people promoting peace and harmony.

One Voice is a really forward thinking organisation. They are a force of good who share the values of the Council so we are proud to partner with them on many different initiatives. The young people they develop and involve are really inspirational.

Jamie Holman was the recipient of the last Leader’s Award.

Jamie’s work is rooted in local heritage and culture. He works from a studio in Blackburn town centre in partnership with curator Alex Zawadzki and a team of graduate assistants as ‘Uncultured Creatives’, delivering large scale artworks locally, nationally and internationally.

Jamie is also founder director of Prism Contemporary, the first independent contemporary art gallery in Blackburn, and is associate artist for The British Textile Biennial. Jamie is also Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Festival of Making NPO, and is represented by The Second Act Gallery.

Speaking about winning the Leader’s Award, Jamie said:

It came as an unexpected but much appreciated surprise.

Blackburn is an exciting place to be. Our cultural and artistic communities are thriving, and to be recognised for enhancing the reputation of Blackburn and bringing communities together makes me proud of the work I produce.

Other previous winners include Blackburn Muslim Burial Society, Chris Seddon and Stuart Parker.

If you would like to nominate a person or an organisation for the Leader’s Award at the 1V Awards in 2024, send a 150-word explanation setting out the reason for your choice to info@1vblackburn.org.

The closing date is 15^th January 2024.

The Leader’s Award is judged and presented by Council Leader Councillor Phil Riley.

The winner will be announced at the 1V Awards Dinner, to be held at King George’s Hall in mid February 2024.