Do-gooders recognised by big John Prescott

Published by webmaster for 24dash.com in Communities

It may not quite be the same as winning an Oscar but people who contribute to making towns, cities and rural communities better places in which to live and work are to have their own awards ceremony ' and the chance to meet John Prescott!

Entries are currently being invited for this year's Deputy Prime Minister's Awards for Sustainable Communities.

Now in their second year, the awards pay tribute to those people whose commitment and enthusiasm are making a significant contribution towards the building of thriving and successful communities across the UK.

Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott said: "Sustainable communities would not be possible without those people and projects who make invaluable contributions to their local communities, day in, day out.

"That is why I am pleased to announce this year's awards, which underlie our commitment to delivering sustainable communities, and I look forward to acknowledging to the leading entries early next year."

Entries are invited for projects and initiatives of all types and sizes and any person, including those directly connected with the project or initiative, may submit an entry, which will be considered by a panel of independent judges with a wide level of expertise in regeneration matters.

The whole process will be administered, on behalf of the ODPM, by The British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA), whose objective is the identification and promotion of best practice in urban regeneration.

Entries must be received by Monday, September 5. The award ceremony acknowledging the achievements of the finalists and showcasing good practice will be held early in 2006.

Last year's overall winner was the Grange Park Community Project in Blackpool. The other finalists were Chatham Maritime and the Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent; Joining Up Northumberland Park, Tottenham, London; and the Urban and Rural Renaissance Initiative, County Durham.

All projects and initiatives should be advanced to a state where there is a record of success with demonstrable results, and should meet some, or all, of the following criteria:

·         ACTIVE, INCLUSIVE AND SAFE - fair, tolerant and cohesive with a strong local culture and other shared community activities.

·         WELL RUN - with effective and inclusive participation, representation and leadership.

·         ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE - providing places for people to live that are considerate of the environment.

·         WELL DESIGNED AND BUILT - featuring a quality built and natural environment.

·         WELL CONNECTED - with good transport services and communication linking people to jobs, schools, health and other services.

·         THRIVING - with a flourishing and diverse local economy.

·         WELL SERVED - with public, private, community and voluntary services that are appropriate to people's needs and accessible to all.

·         FAIR FOR EVERYONE - including those in other communities, now and in the future.