Nominations open for 2024 Community Volunteer Awards

Know a fantastic volunteer who deserves recognition for the selfless work they do? Nominate them in this year’s Community Volunteer Awards.

Arranged by Community CVS and Blackburn with Darwen Council, these awards recognise the individuals and groups who do whatever they can to make live better for others in our borough.

Awards are up for grabs across 12 categories including The Good Neighbour Award, Volunteer of the Year, an Environment Award, a Health & Wellbeing Award, and the Community Involvement Award which is open to the local business community.

Get the full list of award categories.

You can nominate people of any age who volunteer in any way in Blackburn with Darwen. It could be someone who gives their spare time for free to help out with sports clubs, someone who dedicates their time to a local charity, or someone who pitches in to keep our neighbourhoods clean and tidy.

It’s easy to nominate someone for the Community Volunteer Awards – you can do it online via the Community CVS website.

All you have to do is write a summary of what the individual or organisation does that makes them deserving of an award.  

You can also request paper nomination forms from Community CVS at the Community Hub, 35 Railway Road, Blackburn BB1 1EZ – or contact Donna Talbot on (01254) 583957 or donna.talbot@communitycvs.org.uk.

Garth Hodgkinson, Chief Executive Officer of Community CVS, said:

Community CVS is here to promote and grow voluntary action. The Community Volunteer Awards, now in their sixth year, are a truly fantastic way of showcasing the amazing work of volunteers and volunteer-run groups.

Last year was a huge success with over 700 individuals and groups nominated. A wide range of committed volunteers were celebrated, ranging from those who help keep their community clean and tidy to those who offer their time supporting individuals, charities and organisations. The youngest volunteer to win an award was just eight years old, and the eldest was 85.

By nominating an individual or group, you will be helping CVS to say the biggest thank you possible to the volunteers and volunteer-run groups that make Blackburn with Darwen a great place to live.

Denise Park, Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

Our borough is blessed to have hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers who give their time freely to support others. Between them they contribute so much to strengthening our communities and making Blackburn with Darwen a better place for everyone.

The Community Volunteer Awards highlight our wonderful volunteers and the strength of community spirit that we have here. They are so important to recognise the amazing volunteers across our borough and to thank them for everything they do. If you know someone who puts others before themselves as a volunteer, please consider nominating them.

The closing date for nominations in this year’s Community Volunteer Awards is Friday 30 August 2024.

This year all Community Volunteer Award winners will be given a holiday voucher courtesy of national charity Room to Reward. Winners will be able to use their vouchers for a two-night bed and breakfast break in a hotel of their choice.

The awards will be held at King George’s Hall on Thursday 7  November, with the BBC’s Graham Liver hosting.

Among the sponsors of the 2024 Community Volunteer Awards are:

Room to Reward, Age UK Blackburn with Darwen, Accrington Road Community Centre, Active Lancashire, BAM/ Rhodar, Blackburn College, Blackburn with Darwen Interfaith Forum, Blackburn Rovers Football Club & Community Trust, BwD Carers Service, Calico, Chubb, Deaf Village, East Lancashire Hospice, Lancashire Telegraph, Newground Together, PM&M, Room to Reward, Suez, Wepa, The Wish Centre and Voice.

Sponsorship packages are still available for the Community Volunteer Awards.

Donna Talbot, Membership Development Officer at Community CVS, said:

The Community Volunteer Awards is a fabulous event to get behind. By sponsoring the awards and investing in one of our packages, your organisation becomes associated with some of the borough’s best people as well as showing that you are backing your local community. It also demonstrates your commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Any Blackburn with Darwen business or organisations that would like to support the awards as a sponsor can contact Donna Talbot at Community CVS at: donna.talbot@communitycvs.org.uk or 01254 583957.