The Pride in Bedford Awards 2011 Website

Pride in Bedford 2011

Welcome to the Pride in Bedford Awards 2011 website, brought to you by The Bedfordshire Times & Citizen.

This awards event is aimed at recognising and celebrating the outstanding achievements of individuals and groups working so hard to make Bedford Borough and Mid Beds a special place.

They might be unsung heroes or people who have had a positive impact on the community. They might be young people making a difference with their energy and enthusiasm or people who have put in years of support and care. So place your nominations now.

How does the entry process work?

The entry process is simple. Click on the menu links to the left, to find out all about the categories, what the judges will be looking for, and how to cover all the bases with your entry. Please give the judges as much information as possible to help them make up their minds.

The awards will be presented at a special ceremony taking place at the Bedford Corn Exchange on Wednesday 30th November.

For more information or sponsorship call 01908 651 263 or for tickets call 01582 798503

Why Enter?

Our editor Jim Stewart explains why it's important to have Pride in Bedford and Mid Beds.

Bedford Borough and Mid Beds is full of truly amazing people. And the Pride In Bedford awards return to salute those many people in our community who make this area the great place it is.

Pride In Bedford is our well-established awards scheme that honours the extraordinary work carried out by individuals and groups throughout the year. That tireless work often takes place under the radar, out of the public gaze, but we feel they deserve their efforts to be recognised publicly.

So we are calling for your nominations now. Do you know somebody exceptional in your community? Do you know an adult, or child, who deserves to be honoured? Perhaps you could nominate yourself, or your own group? We are looking for nominations in a range of categories, supported by local companies and groups - find out more by clicking on the categories button on the left.

Time is ticking so don't delay, make your nomination today. We look forward to seeing all our finalists at our prestigious Pride In Bedford awards night, which take place at Bedford Corn Exchange at the end of November.

The Bedfordshire Times & Citizen is proud to be a true community newspaper - that's why the Pride In Bedford awards have become such an important date in the area's calendar.

Jim Stewart
Editor, Bedfordshire Times & Citizen

Categories and Criteria

Select an awards category from the menu below, to view the criteria that the judges will be looking for.

1. Child of Courage

This award is for a courageous child up to the age of 18. It will be awarded to someone who is a shining example to their parents, who has overcome adversity or fought to combat an illness or disability. This award gives us a chance to recognise those who show bravery in the toughest of circumstances and are an example to us all.

2. Young Achiever - sponsored by Bedford College

This is for someone under 21 who has either, achieved great things in sport, represented their school, is involved in volunteer work, or achieved distinction in some other field. An individual who has gone above the expected and is setting new standards in a particular field.

3. Services to the Community - sponsored by bpha

This award will be presented in recognition of the unpaid efforts of an individual or group who devotes their spare time to working within the community on behalf of others. This could be improving the community for a chosen cause, establishing a local sports club; a stalwart in the local fund-raising scene; a dedicated Brown Owl, or someone who goes out of their way to help elderly or infirm neighbours.

4. Senior Achiever

Someone over the age of 60 who still strives and continues to contribute to the community. The award will celebrate those in the older generation who are still actively involved in helping others and going above and beyond the call of duty.

5. Service with a smile

This will be an individual or a team that goes that extra mile when it comes to customer service setting a superb example and making you want to return again. Those people who make our community a friendlier place to be and deserve to be recognised for going that step further. Once shortlisted a visit to experience the customer service could be done.

6. Leisure and Culture Project of the year

This award is for an individual or group that have dedicated time to a project which demonstrates originality, shows purpose within the community and how it has impacted on their area. This project can be arts, sports, community or environmentally based.

7. Excellence in Education Award

This award is for anyone or any organisation involved in education; a school, a teacher, teaching assistant, community group leader/worker, community, sports, music group etc. It is to recognise the work and effort they put into promoting and enhancing education in its widest sense e.g. learning in general not just exam achievement.

8. Environment Award

This award is for an individual or group whose efforts have significantly enhanced their community’s environment. They need to demonstrate that they have brought about real improvements such as reduced litter, more tree planting, reduction in the use of energy, or contributed to raising awareness and action towards a more environmentally sustainable way of life. [NB: This award cannot go to a company-sponsored scheme carried out by paid staff].

9. Volunteer/Carer of the Year

This award is for a team or individual who is either working or volunteering in the public or private caring sector which/who has demonstrated duty or devotion beyond the norm. Or, it could be a private individual or family doing the same. It will be awarded to the individual or group that the judges consider had made an outstanding contribution.

10. The People’s Choice Award

This award will be decided by public vote following the short listing of entries by the judging panel.

Application Form

If you would like to nominate an individual or an organisation for an award, please fill in our online application form. Click on the link below to open up the form. Give us contact details for yourself, as well as your nominee. Then select which category you wish to nominate them for, and the reasons why you think they should win.

Please give us as much information as you can to assist the judges in the decision making process. The closing date for nominations is Friday 28th October.

Click here for the online application form

Entry Guidelines

1. The Pride in Bedford awards welcome nominations about individuals who either live or do their main work within the boundaries of the borough of Bedford, and organisations and projects which are primarily based within Bedford.
2. Applications should be submitted online in the first instance, but supporting information can be supplied as hard copy by mutual agreement if that proves to be the most appropriate means of delivery. The organisers for any items lost, delayed or damaged in transit can take no responsilbility.
3. Organisations may not enter categories with which they are involved through sponsorship.
4. A panel of judges appointed by the organisers will carefully consider all entries and select the winners in each categories. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
5. The closing date for nominations is Friday 28th October. Nominations, which have been short listed by the judges, will be invited to the awards presentation event. This will be held on Wednesday 30th November.
6. There are no cash alternatives available to the prizes offered.
7. Information contained in the awards entries may be used as part of the promotional campaign for the awards. Details of the award winners will be published in print and online in Premier Newspapers Publications. Winners will be welcome to use the Pride in Bedford logo and newspaper reports, by arrangement, in their own marketing and publicity operations.

Pride Awards 2010

Unsung heroes in the community were recognised at a glittering ceremony as the winners of our fourth Pride in Bedford awards were announced in the ceremony at the Park Inn Hotel, which was hosted by Eastenders star Derek Martin who plays cabbie Charlie Slater in the hit soap.

Charity worker John Sawford was announced as the overall winner of Pride in Bedford 2010 after he was voted the People’s Choice for the work he has done with Macmillan Cancer Support

The full list of worthy winners:

Child of Courage - Maddison Guynn
Young Achiever - Shanaugh Craig
The Safer Community Award - Robert Edwards
Adult Achiever - Tony Davies
Service with a Smile - Oasis Pool staff
Best Arts/Sports/Community Project - Bedford Pantomime Company
School of the Year - Oakley Lower School
Helping/Caring for Others - Hazell and Derek Phillips
Best Volunteer - Jamie Lymer
The People’s Choice Award - John Sawford

The Pride in Bedford Awards 2011 are brought to you by the Bedfordshire Times and Citizen, and sponsored by The Bedford Charity.