Oxfordshire businesses and individuals who have supported local charities will be recognised in the Local Business Charity Awards this summer.

Charities can now nominate a local business which they believe has supported them in their work.

The awards have returned, following a successful launch event in 2018 where winners included businesses such as FAI Farms, an organic farm based in Wytham who was nominated by Farm Ability, and The Oxford Mail who was nominated by The Oxford Hospitals Charity.

The Oxford Mail are official media partners of the awards and will join Robert Courts, MP for Witney, and Carl Shuker, the group CEO at A-Plan Group, in judging the event.

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Brian Buchan, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, who attended the awards finals in 2018 and will also be a judge at the awards this year, said: “In the Lieutenancy we regularly see the importance of businesses and charities working together and these awards play an important part in that process.

“It is right that businesses who work hard to support local charities are recognised and praised for their efforts. I’d like to thank Jelf, A-Plan and the Oxford Mail for their continued support and to urge all Oxfordshire charities to enter."

There are three award categories which can now be entered.

The first is the Jelf Award which can be entered by any Oxfordshire charity with an annual income of more than £200k a year, nominating an Oxfordshire business that supports them.

The second category is the A-Plan Award which can also be entered by any charity in the county but its annual income must be less than £200k a year.

If the company they nominate wins in these two categories, the charity will receive a prize of £1,000.

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Overall, the judges will be looking for how much of an effect the company’s involvement has had on the charity, the quality of the relationship between the two, how creative the company has been supporting the charity and the lasting benefits of the relationship.

The final category is the Individual Award, which last year was won by Aaron Gee from Midcounties Co-Operative who was nominated by Aspire. Oxfordshire charities can enter and nominate a person for their dedication and contribution to that charity and the winner will get a £300 weekend away.

Mike Owen, the South East managing director at Jelf, a national insurance broker, will also be a judge. He said: "As we have a strong local presence, community is very important to us at Jelf. This year, we are delighted to be sponsoring seven Local Business Charity Awards across the UK.We look forward to reading and sharing more stories of generous local businesses in the coming months.’

Entry closes on June 21 and the awards finals are on August 29.