Help us celebrate Derbyshire's unsung heroes

The Derbyshire Times Community Awards, which will take place on Wednesday, April 20, at the Proact Stadium in Chesterfield, are your chance to nominate your unsung heroes and get them the recognition they deserve.

A combination of previous years’ Pride and Schools Awards, the brand new Community Awards are now an opportunity for the whole community to come together in one big celebration.

Categories range from sporting achievement and fundraising to courageous children, inspiring teachers, hardworking students and carers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

DT editor Nancy Fielder urged everyone to get involved and nominate someone who truly deserves the recognition.

She said: “These awards are a great chance for us at the Derbyshire Times, our readers and the wider community to say thank you to the people who make a real difference.

“We have a wide range of categories so we can include as many extraordinary folk as possible.

“There are so many unsung heroes in education, children breaking the mould and teachers making sure the future is bright for the next generation.

“But there are also lots of people we come across in every day life who dedicate themselves to helping others, boosting charity and always take on new challenges with a smile.

“We all know somebody who deserves extra credit and this is the perfect way to give them an extra special pat on the back.

“Our neighbourhoods wouldn’t be the same without these people, and now it is time we made them really just how much we appreciate all they do.”

So who do you think deserves an award? We are looking to find our local stars. They can be of any age, from any walk of life but the one thing they must be is extraordinary.

It’s free and easy to nominate. Simply visit www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/communityawards and follow the instructions.

The closing date for nominations is Tuesday, March 29.

Shortlisted finalists will get two complimentary tickets to the awards where they will have a fantastic two course dinner before settling in for the prize-giving.

Tickets for the event will also be on general sale priced at £18 per person.

In between now and the big day we will be focusing on each of the categories in turn to give you an idea of what we are looking for and share some inspiring stories from previous nominees.

We look forward to receiving your nominations.