Last year, we hosted our first annual Chairman’s Community Awards to recognise the community organisations and individual volunteers who make a huge contribution to our lives across the conurbation.

We are excited to announce that the Chairman’s Community Awards will happen again this year. Do you know someone who has helped your community or the wider BCP community? Nominate them!

Complete the nomination form and sent it to mayu.roucosantos@bcpcouncil.gov.uk no later than Thursday 30 March. We will inform you of the outcome of your nomination shortly after the deadline.

A panel will decide the winners for each award category, and they will be invited to attend a celebration event. We will share specific times and details with the winners following the decision of the panel.

The winners for each award category in 2022 were:

• Contribution to the environment - Peter Ryan representing the Dorset Devils
• Young citizen of the year - Issey Barnbrook, aged 10 yrs
• Contribution to wellbeing - Tony Gibbons posthumously
• Contribution to arts and culture - Bea Sieradzka
• Good neighbour - Diana Alcroft 
• Contribution to the community - Sister Tama Merdaci 
• Special Recognition for over 30 years of voluntary service - Louvaine Knight.

Chairman of the Council and Community Awards panel member, Councillor Nigel Hedges said: “I am thrilled to have presented our first annual community awards on behalf of BCP Council. Over the last couple of years we have witnessed the truly remarkable work of many individuals and community groups helping and caring for others in the community.

“A lot of the time the work goes unnoticed but the contribution is valued and this is an opportunity for us to celebrate their achievements.”

Guidance notes

There are a few rules around the entrance criteria. Please note that:

• no serving councillors may be nominated
• no former councillor may be nominated unless more than 5 years has passed since they served
• community groups that have a councillor as a member may be nominated
• you may not nominate yourself
• the nominee's volunteering must have been done within the BCP Council area
• the judging panel may move your entry into a different category
• you must use a separate form if competing in more than one category.

We also do not accept nominations for people who carry out the activity as part of paid employment unless their contributions are above and beyond what they are paid to do. Your nomination must reflect this.

Privacy policy

The information supplied will be treated in confidence and will only be used by those who take part in the administration and adjudication of the awards.

We may contact applicants to gain further information and we will contact nominees to seek their consent before using their information in any press campaign.

For further details see our corporate privacy policy.