AWARDS which celebrate the community heroes of the Cotswolds have been launched by the Stroud News & Journal, supported by Ecotricity.

Now in its second year, the Pride of the Cotswolds awards were officially launched on Friday at a special event at Forest Green Rovers’ New Lawn stadium, and are run in conjunction by the SNJ and its sister titles the Wilts & Glos Standard and Gazette Series.

Ecotricity, The Bathurst Estate, Renishaw, RPC BPI recycling and Wheatley Printers are among the businesses sponsoring the awards, and their representatives were there on Friday, as were a number of last year's winners.

Among them was Florence Beetlestone, who won the Cotswold Community Pride Award and founded the Cotswold Hare Trail which won Best Community Project of the Year.

She said: “Having an award makes it special. There are so many people involved it’s really for them and their hard work.”

Tricia Henderson-Ross, Charity Fundraiser of the Year in 2018 for her work with Longfield Hospice, said: “We don’t do it for the recognition.”

“It’s a really nice event recognising unsung heroes,” added Longfield’s Jan Ryder.

Linda Carter, 2018 Volunteer of the Year, for her work with Independence Trust, said: “I was very honoured to be nominated and then, to win, I couldn’t believe it. It was a real honour.”

Rachel Kent, head of campaign and causes at Ecotricity, said the Stroud-based energy firm was proud to be supporting the event once more.

“It’s recognition of local communities and people who are doing lovely things,” she said.

Daryl Winder, from RPC BPI, added that it meant a ‘great deal’ to be involved.

Jade Brinsford, from The Bathurst Estate, said: “It’s important for us to support any good cause in the community.”

Michael Purton, editor of the three newspapers, said: "These awards are all about celebrating the people and individuals who make a positive impact in their community but may otherwise go unrecognised.

"It's brilliant to see how much being nominated means to those who are put forward for an award."

Nominations are now open for this year's awards. The categories are:

-Spirit of Youth

-Charity Fundraiser

-Child of the Year

-Teacher of the Year

-Volunteer of the year

-Health Carer Hero

-Sporting Hero

-Good neighbour

-Best Community Project of the Year

-School of the Year

-Cotswold 999 Hero of the Year

-Cotswold  Community Pride

-Programme Sponsor

Finalists will be shortlisted and winners chosen by a panel of judges, with awards presented at a gala dinner at the New Lawn on Thursday September 26.

To nominate, see stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/awards/prideofcotswolds