Nominations are now open for an awards ceremony which recognises local people and organisations actively making the town a better place to live and work in.
The ceremony, Watford’s 16th Audentior Awards, will take place on Friday March 4, 2022 at the Watford Colosseum.
With nine categories including the Mayors Special Achievement Award and the new Good Neighbour Award, everyone is being encouraged to put forward their everyday heroes who go the extra mile to help friends, family or people around them.
The awards are Watford Borough Council’s way of thanking these people.
While the awards this year will feature the efforts made during the pandemic, nominations can be made for anyone who makes a difference to the borough.
The one attribute that all nominees should share is the quality of being extraordinary in their commitment, dedication, energy and effort.
Elected Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said: “Watford is no ordinary town. Every day I meet extraordinary people who are going the extra mile to help others and support the town and local residents.
“Our town’s motto is Audentior, which means ‘to be bold’.
“The Audentior Awards give us the opportunity to recognise and thank people from all walks of life who have been bold, in their generosity and care for others.
“We want to know who these unsung heroes are, so we recognise, celebrate and be inspired by them.”
This year the categories are: Carer of the Year, Charity Worker of the Year, Public Service Award, Pride in Watford, Young Achiever of the Year (25 and under), Good Neighbour Award, Contribution to Sport and Healthy Living, Chairman’s Culture Award and the Mayor’s Award.
The nominations criteria for each award are as follows:
The Carer of the Year is for those who work as a carer as part of their job, as a volunteer or as a family member looking after a loved one.
Charity Worker of the Year is for the person who is a great ambassador for the charity they dedicate their time to, whether it’s volunteering in a shop, fundraising or operating a helpline.
The Public Service Award could be an outstanding teacher/teaching assistant, a police officer who has shown remarkable courage/bravery or a dedicated NHS worker. It could also be a firefighter, bus driver or a chemist that has gone that extra mile.
The Pride in Watford award recognises residents who dedicate their time and energy keeping Watford clean and green or by creating community gardens, painting local spaces, upcycling or encouraging others to recycle.
Young Achiever of the Year puts the spotlight on the remarkable young people in the borough who are making an impact. The winner of this award could be a young person who has overcome personal difficulties and now helps others to make good choices or someone who organises out-of-school activities to divert young people away from crime.
Contribution to Sport and Healthy Living is for an individual or club that has contributed to helping people in Watford to lead healthier lives by promoting or encouraging more participation in sport or by representing Watford in their sport.
Chairman’s Culture Award is for an individual or organisation that has contributed to raising the profile of the arts in Watford - art, amateur dramatics or music.
The Mayor’s Award is for a special achievement award celebrating a person for their outstanding contribution and dedication to the town. The nominees for this award will be nominated by the Mayor and chosen by the public.
The Good Neighbour Award is a new award which will recognise residents who go out of their way to help others living in the town’s neighbourhoods and communities. Whether they have provided care and support for others, are always on hand when needed, take pride in where they live or simply been a friendly face around your neighbourhood, they can be nominated.
Nominations can be made by filling in a short form online before Sunday November 28, 2021 at: www.audentiorawards.co.uk
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