Derby Voluntary Sector Awards 2025

Brought to you by Derby Volunteer Centre and Community Action with support from Derby Homes, the Derby Voluntary Sector Awards celebrates the city’s amazing voluntary and community sector.

Winners will be invited to attend a glitzy award ceremony during Volunteers' Week (2-8 June) to receive their award and all nominees will receive a certificate to thank them for their great work.

Please note:

• For all awards, individual nominees must not receive payment for their work. Clubs, groups and organisations must be either volunteer led, not-for-profit, or a social enterprise.
• Nominees must either be based in Derby City or specifically benefit its residents through their work/volunteering.
• Previous award winners cannot be nominated for the same award category in consecutive years. You can find a list of previous winners here.
• Community Action employees and trustees are not eligible for nomination and cannot nominate relatives.

Nominations close on Sunday 6 April 2025

Click here to make a nomination online!

If you require help filling out the online form, or would like it in an alternative format, such as a paper copy, please call Katya Lomas on 01332 227707 or email communications@communityactionderby.org.uk.

Please share this far and wide - download a poster to share here!

We want the Awards to be a celebration of the sector’s vibrancy and diversity. To make sure that as wide a range of organisations and people as possible are represented, this year there are 15 categories to choose from! Also, if you think a nominee fits into more than one category, you can select up to two categories.

• Community Champion Award
  Do you know someone who works tirelessly for their community? Are they actively involved in making their community a better place? Has this individual had a significant impact on changing local people’s lives? Have they gone above and beyond in order to help an individual or their community?
• Overcoming Barriers Award
  The Overcoming Barriers Award recognises someone who has shown determination and resilience in surmounting a personal challenge to make a difference through volunteering. Do you know a volunteer who has made a significant contribution to the community whilst overcoming obstacles, such as a physical or learning disability, ill health, addiction, mental health struggles or a language barrier?
• Youth Work Award
  Do you know an individual, group or organisation that has made a significant impact to a young person or young people’s life? Perhaps they have acted as a positive role model for a young person, inspiring them to see their potential and motivating them to fulfil it? Maybe they have supported young people to overcome barriers to improve the quality of their life, or access opportunities?
• Green Ambassador Award
  The Green Ambassador Award honours those individuals, groups or organisations making a difference to our communities through environmental projects. Maybe their work creating or conserving a green space has had a big impact on your neighbourhood? Has their environmental work increased community cohesion or enhanced the health and wellbeing of your community? Have they raised awareness or advocated for environmental issues? Perhaps they've done something to make Derby more sustainable? This could include work with community gardens, wildlife, allotments and parks, for example.
• Young Volunteer Award x2
  Do you know a young person aged between 5 and 24 years who has made an impact with their volunteering? Have they shown enthusiasm and dedication to achieve positive outcomes as a volunteer? Do they stand out over other volunteers in their age group? This year there are two age categories: 5-14 years, and 15-24 years. Nominees must be aged 5 – 24 years on 1 June 2025. The nominator will need permission from the nominee's parents/guardians if the nominee is under 18 years of age.
• Trustee of the Year Award
  This award recognises a trustee who has made an exceptional contribution to their charity or community group. Through dedication and commitment, they have played a key role in guiding the organisation and supporting its work. Whether through offering valuable advice, knowledge and experience, helping to secure funding, or rolling their sleeves up and getting stuck in to provide hands-on support, this trustee has had a positive and lasting impact on both the organisation and the people it serves.
• Sporting Award
  Do you know an individual, group or club who is an asset to Derby’s sporting world? Have they contributed to a significant change in an individual or community’s health and physical wellbeing? Maybe you are part of a sports club that couldn’t run without the help and support of a particular volunteer? Maybe a sports club has helped you to overcome a barrier to access physical activity?
• New Arrivals Ambassador Award
  The New Arrivals Ambassador Award celebrates individuals, groups or organisations that go above and beyond the call of duty to help refugees and asylum seekers. Maybe they've provided essential support or signposting to services? Perhaps they've helped New Arrivals build confidence, learn language skills, or have assisted with integration? Perhaps their work has had a positive effect on the health and wellbeing of New Arrivals? Or maybe they've made a huge impact through their leadership and advocacy for New Arrivals?
• Arts, Culture and Heritage Award
  This award celebrates individuals, groups or organisations that bring creativity, culture, and/or heritage to life in Derby. This could be through music, crafts, theatre, dance, art, creative writing, textiles, or preserving local history for example. Perhaps you attend an art group or craft workshop that improves your wellbeing and deserves recognition? Maybe you want to shout about a fabulous local community festival? Perhaps you want to champion your favourite local museum? Maybe you know of a team of volunteers preserving a local area of historic interest, such as a graveyard? Or perhaps you know of a great project restoring a historic building for the community? If their work connects communities and enriches lives, we want to recognise them!
• Health and Wellbeing Award
  Do you know an individual, group or organisation that has gone above and beyond to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Derby? Perhaps they’ve helped you with your mental health, to overcome addiction, or have improved your overall wellbeing? Maybe they run a support group, volunteer for a mental health hotline, campaign for change or awareness, or provide activities / classes for people with a disability or long-term condition.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award
  This award celebrates individuals, groups, or organisations working to make Derby a fairer, more inclusive place. It recognises those who amplify the voices of underrepresented communities, challenge discrimination, break down barriers to equality, and foster social cohesion. This could include for example, promoting gender equality and women’s rights, creating a culture of inclusion in regards to race, faith and/or religion, championing the rights of the LGBT+ community, or advocating for people with a disability.
• Hardship Support Award
  Do you know an individual, group or organisation that supports people in poverty?  Have they made a positive impact to the lives of people and supported them to create a better future? Have they eased the burden of the Cost of Living Crisis? They may have campaigned to raise awareness, supported people to resolve the crises they face, or perhaps they created a Warm Welcome Hub to support people struggling with the cost of living.
• Community Space Award
  This award recognises initiatives that create welcoming spaces where people can connect, belong, and thrive. From community centres to men’s sheds, allotments, community gardens and community cafes for example, these spaces bring people together, combat isolation, and strengthen local communities. Do you know a group or organisation that provides a hub for social connections, wellbeing, and support? Perhaps they run inclusive activities, maintain a shared space indoors or out, or offer a safe place for people to gather and grow, both personally and as a community.
• Lifetime Achievement Award
  Do you know someone who has demonstrated an exemplary long-term commitment to volunteering by giving their time and skills for a minimum of ten years? Are they great at what they do and champion their organisation and volunteering in general? Do they stand out over other long serving volunteers? Must have volunteered for 10+ years by 1 June 2025. Must have achieved many positive outcomes by volunteering – please give examples.

This information is also available to download as a PDF below:

Nominations close on Sunday 6 April 2025

Click here to make a nomination online!

If you require help filling out the online form, or would like it in an alternative format, such as a paper copy, please call Katya Lomas on 01332 227707 or email communications@communityactionderby.org.uk.