Make a Difference awards: Local BBC radio nominations open

Make a Difference was set up to share the stories of people going above and beyond to help those around them

Nominations are open to find the heroes going above and beyond to help their local communities across England.

The local BBC radio Make a Difference Awards celebrate the heart-warming stories of everyday acts of kindness from neighbours, volunteers or carers who make a difference where they live.

Make a Difference was set up in 2020 at the start of the first coronavirus lockdown and to date 11 million people have interacted with the scheme.

The nominations close on Sunday 5 March at 23:00 GMT.

A 2022 awards fundraiser winner Oliver Voysey

Previous winners include Oliver Voysey, who raised £250,000 in lockdown to help save the Lake District Calvert Trust from closure, and Andy Cammis from East Durham Veterans Trust who won the community group award for being a "lifeline" for veterans struggling with mental health.

Chris Burns, controller local audio commissioning for BBC England, said: "I am really pleased that we will once again be celebrating the good things that people are doing where they live.

"Our audiences have faced tough times over the past few years and have contacted us to share their stories of how people are helping each other. It's great that we can celebrate these unsung heroes."

Running specialist counselling sessions and workshops, Andy Cammis has helped more than 300 veterans since he founded East Durham Veterans Trust

Damien Reynolds, 38, from Nottinghamshire, picked up the community group award last year, after leaving his job in the corporate sector to set up The Wolfpack Project four years ago.

The charity works with people aged between 16 and 24 from across the county who are struggling with their mental health.

It offers one-to-one support and social groups that combine life skills and physical activities and helps around 2,500 people a year.

Mr Reynolds said starting the charity had been a labour of love. "I wanted to make a difference to the community," he said.

"When I was younger, I struggled myself. I am LGBT and I grew up in Mansfield, where I didn't feel particularly accepted at the time.

"It seemed like a town that didn't have much hope or opportunity and I wanted to help other people who might struggle with making social connections."

Damien Reynolds (with his award), with Radio Nottingham presenter Sarah Julian and volunteers from The Wolfpack Project.

Mr Reynolds encouraged people to nominate groups and individuals who are helping others within their communities.

"There are hundreds of organisations squirrelled away that deserve a huge amount of recognition and I would encourage anybody to look out for them," he said.

This year there are eight categories that cover unsung heroes, including a new one - bravery.

• Volunteer - Awarded to an individual who makes a notable difference to the community by giving their time voluntarily to help out a good cause

• Community Groups - Awarded to a group of people who have helped to genuinely change the lives of others within the community

• Fundraiser - Awarded to an individual or group of people who have gone the extra mile to raise funds for a good cause

• Carer - Awarded to someone who improves the life of an individual or group of people by caring for them on a regular basis

• Great Neighbour - Awarded to an individual or group of people who help to make the neighbourhood or local community a better place to live or work, either on a regular basis or through a single act of kindness

• Bravery - Awarded to an individual who has shown outstanding courage, defiance and duty in the face of perceived danger, fear or difficulty.

• The Green Award - Awarded to an individual or group of people who help to make where we live a better place for nature and the environment

• The Together Award - Awarded to an individual or group of people who encourage diversity within their community. They do this by creating real change and breaking down barriers, bringing people from different walks of life together for a common cause

The winners will be announced at Make a Difference awards ceremonies hosted by BBC radio stations up and down the country in September.

The Make a Difference campaign was created at the start of the first lockdown