Nominations are now open for the Community Action Suffolk Awards 2016, which recognise the volunteers, communities and young people making an impact on the lives of people in Suffolk.
Nine awards will be presented to individuals and organisations in Suffolk, from Village Hall / Community Building of the Year, to Most Inspiring Volunteer story. If you know of someone, or an organisation making a real difference, you have until Friday 12 August to make your nomination via the CAS website www.communityactionsuffolk.org.uk/awards.
One of the 2015 winners was Youthbase from Stowmarket, who won The Roddy Macleod award for Youth Club of the Year. They were nominated as an inclusive, volunteer-run youth club welcoming all young people from the age of nine. Several of the young people have behaviour issues and are struggling at home and school but through the support and the value the team place on them as individuals, there has been a real difference in their behaviour. The club does not make any charge for attendance as many of the families come from deprived areas and the club needs to be open to all, whatever their financial situation the young people need somewhere to go.
Beccles Lido won the Colonel Probert award for Community Initiative, as a project which involves the whole community. Suzanne Gibbons from Beccles Lido Limited said she accepted the award on behalf of the team but it was also an award for the community of Beccles, many of whom have supported the project from the beginning, “It shows us that when the community feels passionate about something, then they all do their best to help where they can.”
CAS Awards categories include The Anne Dunford OBE award for youth participation, The Roddy Macleod award for youth club of the year, The Andrew Towers award for young person of the year, The Colonel Probert award for community initiative, The Ian Campbell MBE award for individual initiative, The Village Hall or Community Building award, Outstanding Contribution to Volunteering, Event Organiser of the Year and Most Inspiring Volunteer story.
Awards will be presented at CAS’s Annual Celebration event on 18 October 2016 at the Museum of East Anglian Life. Local businesses are welcome to sponsor a table at the event and can find out more by contacting [email protected]