New sponsor joins Best Of awards

Nominations have already started to pour in for this year's Best of Northumberland awards, after we launched the 2016 event last week.
Josh Rutherford, left, was last years Community Champion winner. Picture by Jane ColtmanJosh Rutherford, left, was last years Community Champion winner. Picture by Jane Coltman
Josh Rutherford, left, was last years Community Champion winner. Picture by Jane Coltman

And Northumberland County Council has thrown its support behind the awards by agreeing to sponsor one of the 13 categories.

The search is on to find and honour unsung heroes who do amazing things and readers are being encouraged to nominate individuals and groups in the county who go above and beyond the call of duty and/or show incredible strength and courage in the face of adversity. Organised by Northeast Press – publishers of the Northumberland Gazette, Morpeth Herald and News Post Leader – and Tweeddale Press’s Berwick Advertiser, the annual Best of Northumberland Awards are a celebration of bravery, determination, commitment and achievement.

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We are looking for people who, in their everyday lives, have managed to do something extraordinary for the benefit of themselves and others.

The awards are split into 13 categories, recognising a cross-section of local heroes.

As part of this, the county council is sponsoring the Community Champion award, which recognises an individual who may have been a good friend and who has supported you and/or family, or who you think has made a significant contribution to your community.

Last year’s winner was Amble football coach Josh Rutherford.

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Coun Val Tyler, the county council’s cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, said: “Northumberland is a great place to live, work, visit and invest in.

“The council is working to make our great places even better; however, we know that there are also many other people working together to achieve this.

“We are delighted to be supporting the Community Champion award to recognise the excellent work that so many people do to benefit others in their communities and Northumberland.”

The other categories are Community Group; Student; Sporting Excellence; Fund-raiser; Child of Achievement; Child of Courage; Green Champion; Role Model; Volunteer; Sports Team; Neighbour; and Lifetime Contribution Award.

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A glittering ceremony will be on Thursday, September 15, and the winners will be presented with their awards. The venue is to be confirmed. The headline sponsor is The Banks Group, which is also sponsoring the Green Champion award.