A chance to name your local hero (From Oxford Mail)

A chance to name your local hero

3:00pm Friday 10th September 2010 in

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NOMINATIONS are being invited for awards set to honour Oxfordshire’s volunteers.

Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA) will present nine awards at a ceremony on November 10 at North Oxford Golf Club.

It is hoped the event will highlight the good work of the county’s 3,000 charities amid tough times.

Many groups have seen a drop in funding and donations during the recession.

The awards are backed by the Responsible Oxfordshire Business Involvement Network.

The nine categories are:

• Charity of the year (sponsored by Henmans LLP solicitors).

• Best new voluntary or community group set up in the past two years (sponsored by Jennings).

• Lifetime Achievement award for a group that has made a longstanding contribution over many years (sponsored by Talkington Bates).

• Most exciting fundraising campaign (sponsored by Bottle PR).

• ‘Greenest’ group (sponsored by Blake Lapthorn).

• Group showing best practice in use of volunteers (sponsored by Morgan Cole LLP solicitors).

• Group that has had the biggest community impact (sponsored by W. Lucy & Co Ltd).

• Best charity managed by under 25s (sponsored by Shaw Gibbs LLP solicitors).

• Statutory authority (council, police, primary care trust) that has made the best use of the voluntary sector (sponsored by BBK Media Ltd).

The OCVA is the county’s main umbrella group for the county’s voluntary sector.

Chief executive Alison Baxter said: “The charity awards are an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our local voluntary sector.

“So many vital services depend on them but often they work behind the scenes and their contribution is not always fully acknowledged.”

To nominate a charity download a nomination form from www.ocva.org.uk. For information contact the OCVA on 01865 251946 Nominations must be submitted by Friday, October 15, and be no more than 200 words.

Set out any connection you have with the organisation nominated.

You can enclose a maximum of three items to support your nomination and you can nominate a charity for one or more categories.