Bury Free Press Community Awards: Nominations open to find our heroes

The Bury Free Press Community Awards are back, celebrating community spirit and showcasing the people who are driving our area in the right direction.

The awards, sponsored by Treatt and in association with Bury St Edmunds Town Council, are an opportunity for residents in Bury St Edmunds and beyond to vote for who you think has contributed to improving the town in some way over the past year.

There are 10 categories for the awards: Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Best Event by a Community Group, Good Deed, Everybody Needs Good Neighbours, Eco-Friendly, Best Community Group, Community Food Hero, Charity of the Year and Lifetime Achievement.

Bury Free Press head of news Paul Derrick said the community awards had become a great way to recognise those that have gone above and beyond to help their neighbours and the wider area.

He added: “There are individuals out there that make a real difference who sometime don’t get the credit they deserve for the help they give their community.

“These awards give recognition to those who are the heartbeats of where they live and highlight the amazing things they do.”

Last year’s awards ceremony, in the town’s historic Guildhall, was held on September 14, giving some of our community heroes the recognition they deserve.

The first category of the night, the Best Event by a Community Group, saw West Suffolk Hive CIC scoop the accolade with The A-Head Club being highly commended.

The next was the Young Citizen of the Year award, which went to Charlotte Spillett with the highly commended trophy going to Tia Bonser.

The Good Deed category, was the next to be revealed, with Thomas Howard winning the prize.

Steve Trowles was given his first highly commended award of the evening.

The winner for the Most Helpful Neighbour category saw Alice Plampin claiming the win and Ted Sullivan being awarded the highly commended accolade.

For the Eco Friendly category on the evening, it was a second win for West Suffolk Hive CIC – The highly commended accolade went to Still Good Food.

The Best Community Group category followed, won by The BSE Marie Curie Fundraising Group, with The Rotary Club of Bury St Edmunds Abbey announced as highly commended.

The Citizen of the Year award was then won by Di Allum – with Steve Trowles collecting his second highly commended accolade of the night.

Still Good Food then won the Community Food Hero category, with the highly commended award going to Ms Maria and Mrs Murfet of St Edmundsbury School.

Hope Charity was given the Charity of the Year accolade and the highly commended award went to My WiSH charity.

The celebratory evening was brought to a close with the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was won by Coleen Carpenter. In this category, there were also two highly commended – Di Allum and Julie Bloomfield.

To nominate for this year’s awards, click here. The winners will be announced at the town’s Guildhall, on September 12.