Dudley Council is delighted to be launching its ninth annual Mayor’s Civic Awards in association with Thomas Cook.
The awards celebrate the silent stars working tirelessly among us. We are calling on people across the borough to put forward nominations for the awards. We want you to tell us about the people in your community who achieve great things or go above and beyond what is expected of them to make things happen.
Nominations must be in by 19 February and the winner and one runner-up in each of the four categories will be announced in March. They will be presented with their prize – a trophy and a certificate by the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Michael Evans at a civic ceremony on 16 March.
The four categories are all named after the borough’s greats, and this year, for the first time, we have a team of sponsors who have chosen to back the awards and the very special people who win them.
The Duncan Edwards award for sport is named after Dudley’s most famous footballing son who tragically died, aged 21, in the 1958 Munich air disaster. This is for those who have achieved in any sport. They may have represented a group, borough or even the country or overcome adversity such as illness or disability to achieve a personal goal. It is also to celebrate and thank those who give their time to working behind the scenes at our local sporting clubs and groups.
The Cedric Hardwicke award for arts is in memory of Sir Cedric, born at Lye Cross in 1893. He went on to become a legend of the British stage and a leader of the British community in Hollywood. This is for those who have contributed to raising the profile of the arts in the borough – whether it be art, amateur dramatics or music. This person may be the star of the show or they could work behind the scenes, helping to make it happen.
The Frank Foley Award for community spirit honours the man dubbed the British Schindler. Frank risked his life to save 10,000 Jews while working as an MI6 agent in Berlin. This is for those who make an outstanding contribution to the community – whether it’s popping in on a neighbour every day, organising or supporting community groups or events, or improving the locality for the benefit of everyone.
The Thomas Attwood award for education remembers a man, born in Halesowen in 1783, who was a leader for parliamentary reform. Thomas was instrumental in bringing about the 1832 Reform Act – which gave counties and large towns greater representation in parliament and virtually tripled the electorate. This award is for those who go above and beyond the call of duty to improve the standard of education in the borough. This may be someone who gives up their time to help at an after-school club or who offers support to learners of all ages.
Have your say on this year's awards on our facebook page or via twitter.
To enter, fill in the nomination form online or pick up a form from one of our libraries or leisure centres. The closing date is 19 February.
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