Newark and Sherwood Community and Sports Awards 2025 – Nominations open soon!

Newark and Sherwood District Council in partnership with Radio Newark is looking for incredible individuals, teams or groups who go above and beyond to support our community or champion the growth of sports.  You can nominate a friend, family member, team, individual, teacher, an employee at your favourite store, in fact anyone who shines in your eyes for one of the awards.

Once you have chosen your amazing person, business, team or group for an award, you’ll be able to simply fill in a form and it’ll go to the nomination panel to choose a winner. Nominations will be open on Friday 30 May until Monday 30 June, via the Newark and Sherwood District Council website at www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/communityandsportsawards25 - please note your nomination will not be accepted if entered before Friday 30 May.

There are 13 award categories, and you can nominate a person or team for more than one award.  The categories are:

Business Commitment to the Community (Sponsor TBC)
Do you know a business which goes the extra mile for the community, has a positive impact on the local area, inspires others to get involved, or takes responsibility in helping make where you live a better place?

Young Person of the Year, up to age 17 (Sponsored by Murphy)
This award is about acknowledging inspiring young people who have fought hard to overcome adversity, who selflessly strive to go the extra mile, show exemplary courage or give to others without thought of return.

Citizen of the Year (Sponsored by Currys, in partnership with GXO)
Do you know a kind-hearted individual who goes the extra mile to help others in times of need or crisis?  These citizens are a true inspiration and an asset to the local community with their optimism and willingness to help others.

Community Champion of the Year (Sponsored by Newark College)
This award is about recognising those who dedicate time for the benefit of the community, who strive to make life more enjoyable for others, or can inspire those around them and rally a whole community into action!

Community Group of the Year (Sponsor TBC)
If you know a group who has used their time, actions, talent and dedication to make a significant contribution to the Community, get nominating!

Education Provider of the Year (Sponsored by Harworth Group)
Individuals who demonstrate outstanding educational success or support within a learning environment, influencing the lives of children and students. This could be a caretaker, after-school supervisor, a teacher or someone else in an educational setting!

Courage and Bravery (Sponsored by Kelham Hall)
Nominate those individuals who do something amazing when it comes to showing great strength in exceptional, frightening or desperate circumstances. This could be someone who has been selfless with a heroic act, who has demonstrated strength and determination in a daunting situation, or who continually shows exemplary courage.

Emergency Services and Armed Forces Award (Sponsor TBC)
Do you know a permanent worker or a volunteer who goes the extra mile? This could be anyone on the frontline, from a volunteer first responder to a special constable, firefighter or others within the sector.

Creating Change for Sport and Physical Activity Award (Sponsored by Active4Today)
This award recognises those who have gone above and beyond to help create vibrant, self-sufficient, physically active local communities, groups or teams in Newark and Sherwood.

Sports Team of the Year (Sponsored by Bakkavor)
If you know a team who have achieved significant change in local sport or physical activity or who are an asset to their community, get voting!

Sports Achiever of the Year (Sponsored by Smiths Timber)
This award recognises individuals that have demonstrated their ambition and focus on achieving the very best in sport. Do you know someone who has excelled in the participation of their chosen sport or physical activity? Then get voting!

Lifetime Commitment Award (Sponsor TBC)
If you know an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Newark and Sherwood, then please nominate them for this special award. We’ll be looking for an individual who strives to go the extra mile (and has so for a number of years), who inspires others or gives selflessly.

Irena Sendler Humanitarian Award (Sponsored by The Polish Cultural Institute London)
Do you know someone who puts others first and goes above and beyond to support their community?  Someone who has tirelessly helped others less fortunate, supporting the values of sacrifice and selflessness that Irena Sendler displayed when she helped save approximately 2,500 Jewish children from Poland during WWII? Get nominating for this special award today.

 

Last year’s winners can be viewed on the Newark and Sherwood District Council website at: www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/communityandsportsawards25

This year’s awards will take place on Friday 26 September at The Renaissance at Kelham Hall in Newark. Last year, twelve worthy winners were awarded for their work in the community and sports with 300 guests in attendance.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: 

“The Newark and Sherwood Community and Sports Awards is a wonderful opportunity to thank and celebrate the inspiring individuals who go above and beyond to do great things in our local area.

“Whether it’s someone who has helped those less fortunate, supported our community to achieve great things, or inspired others to contribute to the area, there’s so much to celebrate.

“We want to recognise those who give selflessly to others, in turn giving them the recognition they deserve.

“I want to encourage residents to think about who they know in the local area that has made a difference and get nominating! Simply go online and fill out the nomination form before 30 June.

“I’d also like to thank all our award sponsors and partners who make this award ceremony possible, and who join us in understanding the importance of recognising the incredible individuals and groups we have in our district.”

Councillor Susan Crosby, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Leisure at Newark and Sherwood District Council, says:

“We have some incredible sporting talent across the district, which The Newark and Sherwood Community and Sports Awards allows us to recognise and celebrate together as a community.

“I’m asking residents to think about individuals or teams they know who have achieved something amazing in their sporting discipline. Whether it’s someone who has gone the extra mile to help create more physically active local communities, someone who has demonstrated supreme performance in their sporting discipline, or a team who are a real asset to the community, we want to hear all about how incredible they are!

 

“The talent and passion is there, so let’s use this opportunity to say thank you to those who inspire us the most.”

The Renaissance at Kelham Hall will host the awards and is a gold sponsor. Alex Hopkins, Director of Sales at The Renaissance at Kelham Hall, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting the Community and Sports Awards once again and we’re excited to hear about all the amazing stories from our community. The Renaissance at Kelham Hall is the perfect venue to celebrate the district’s greatest accomplishments and this year, we’re also sponsoring the Courage and Bravery Award.

“We’re looking for those people who do something exceptional and exemplary when it comes to showing great heroics in difficult times.”

Active4Today, a gold award sponsor, sponsoring the Creating Change for Sport and Physical Activity Award, are keen to ensure our incredible sports stars shine. Andy Freeman, Chair of Active4Today, said: “In Newark and Sherwood, we’re lucky to have so many residents who go out of their way to support their community and we have lots of sporting stars who make us proud.

“At Active4Today we support a wide range of sporting clubs to get much needed funding and to improve the facilities in the area to provide more opportunities for people to be active. We’re a proud sporting district and these awards celebrate some of the great sporting accomplishments from the past year.”

To find out more, go to the Newark and Sherwood District Council website at: www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/communityandsportsawards25

We have a number of sponsorship packages still available. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact communityengagement@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk