Bovey Tracey Community Awards 2023

This year the council will be seeking to make four Awards. These are Community Champion 2023 Award, Young Citizen of the Year 2023 Award, Environmental Champion 2023 Award, and position of Honorary Representative of the Lord of the Manor of Bovey Tracey (awarded annually for long-term voluntary service to the parish). The Council is seeking nominations in each of these categories for persons or groups that have made a significant difference for others in our community over the past year. 

Each Award is open to residents, workers and volunteers living or working in the Parish of Bovey Tracey (which includes Heathfield) who meet its nomination criteria. 

Nominations may be submitted from 2nd February 2023 by residents, persons working in the Parish, voluntary groups, visitors, or customers who have a good experience of the nominee’s activities for the Parish. So, If you know such a candidate, why not nominate them for the appropriate award? 

Tthe general nomination criteria for making nominations are shown below. The nomination forms for a specific Award will include the qualifying details for that Award. These details can be viewed on the Bovey Tracey Town Council website www.boveytracey.gov.uk. 

Judging the winners will be made by panels of councillors and prorninent community leaders. The Awards winners will be announced at the Annual Town Meeting on 29^th March 2023, further details of which will be announced by the council in due course.

YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 2023

This award is for a young person, or a group of young people, aged 18 or under who have made a difference to or significant contribution to the parish over the past year. This may be individually (by overcoming personal challenges), through an individual team effort to support a group activity or have helped family or friends or other members of the wider community through their own initiative or an organised group activity.

However, the council does not want to define these criteria too tightly, as it believes it is up to the people of the parish to assess why their nominee justifies the nomination, and to make the case for them.

COMMUNITY CHAMPION 2023

This special award is for someone or a group of individuals who have made a significant contribution to the parish over the past year. There are members of our community who have made extraordinary efforts to help others in the difficult circumstances of the Corona virus pandemic or of the current restrictive economic situation, by going “over and above” for the benefit of the wider community.

However, the council does not want to define these criteria too tightly, as it believes it is up to the people of the parish to assess why their nominee justifies the nomination, and to make the case for them.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION OF THE YEAR 2023 

This award is for a person or a group of individuals who have made a positive environmental impact in Bovey Tracey and/or Heathfield. The nominee must be able to show either demonstrable examples of the impact of their activities, their leadership in getting the environmental message across, or their ability to inspire the community in activities gaining positive environmental outcomes.

As this is only the second time that this Award has been put forward, some potentially qualifying activities are given here: setting up a repair café, reducing waste to recycling or landfill, implementing plastic-free policies, tree planting or wildflower planting in verges, food composting, promotion of local renewable energy schemes or what individuals can do to minimise carbon impact. There are many more examples, so it is up to the public to assess why their nominee justifies the nomination, and to make the case for them.   

THE HONORARY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD OF THE  MANOR OF BOVEY TRACEY 2023 

This is a special award to an individual who has given a long-term and exemplary voluntary contribution to a Group or Groups in the parish over a period of at least 10 years. These may be youth groups, sports clubs, charities, churches, voluntary groups, local businesses, schools or local public sector organisations. If you know such a person, please consider  making a nomination, explaining how you think your candidate has improved the quality of life in Bovey Tracey parish over those 10 years, through their help for others in our community. 

THE NOMINATION PROCESS

1. Nominations can be submitted during the period from 2nd February to 6th March 2023 inclusive.
2. The preferred method of making a nomination is by completing a form on-line via the Town Council’s website: www.boveytracey.gov.uk 
3. Alternatively, a printed-out form may be completed and then forwarded by email to info@boveytracey.gov.uk 
4. For those without access to the internet who would like to submit a nomination, please contact the Town Council on 01626 834217.
5. Completed paper forms may posted or hand-delivered to the Council at: Bovey Tracey Town Council (2023 Community Awards), Riverside Community Centre, Station Road, Bovey Tracey, TQ13 9AW.
6. If you would like help to complete a nomination form, please ask a friend or neighbour to complete one on-line on your behalf.
7. Each nomination must have a proposer and seconder, as anonymous nominations will not be considered.

8. Nominators may not be related to the nominee, except in the case of the Young Citizen 2023 Award.
9. It must be shown that Nominees have agreed to being nominated, and nominations for young persons under the age of 18 must have the approval of a parent or guardian.
10. No serving councillor or officer is eligible for nomination.
11. Those making the nomination are required to write a short report accompanying the on-line nomination form to describe their reasons  why they believe the nominee deserves the award.
12. Unless agreed otherwise, all personal details given in making the nominations will remain confidential under the Town Council’s mandatory privacy regulations.

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