News Last chance to say thanks to your unsung heroes through Compassionate Community Awards 2021
The countdown is on for the people of Maidstone to say ‘thank you’ to their unsung heroes through the Compassionate Community Awards 2021.
As the nominations deadline gets closer (Friday 27 August) everyone across the borough is being asked by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) to take the opportunity to acknowledge the people who have made a difference to them over the past year.
MBC launched the Compassionate Community Awards 2021 with Heart of Kent Hospice. The awards recognise and celebrate the work of a variety of people from across the borough of Maidstone to highlight and celebrate the positive and compassionate work that individuals, community groups and organisations have done to support others by going above and beyond.
The winner of the Business Award from 2020 was Express Cabs & Couriers Ltd, Operations Manager Jason Brown said:
“We were delighted to win this award last year. We were unaware of these awards taking place at the time and felt extremely proud when we received the call to say that we won. It was nice to have recognition of the hard work our team put in through the height of the pandemic.”
The winner of the Compassionate Care/Residential Home award 2020 was Loose Court Care Home, the Manager Karen Burrows said:
“It felt just amazing to know that the community came out and put those votes in. It was very uplifting, particularly at that time. I didn’t know anything about the awards until it was happening, it was nice to be recognised and to know that people were thinking about us.”
Once again, the Council and the Hospice have collaborated with the awards to showcase the important and selfless work that people have done to help improve the lives of people living and working in and around Maidstone particularly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, to help their local communities.
There are six categories in the 2021 Awards (full criteria for each can be read in the editorial notes below):
- Compassionate workplace/business
- Compassionate Care/Residential Home
- Compassionate Neighbour/Volunteer
- Compassionate School / Teacher
- Compassionate young person (under 18 years)
- Compassionate Community
The awards are part of the work being carried out to support the work of the Council and the Hospice for the borough to become ‘Compassionate Maidstone.’
Compassionate places are communities that publicly encourage, facilitate,
support and celebrate care for one another during life’s most testing
moments and experiences, especially those pertaining to life-threatening
and life-limiting illness, chronic disability, frail ageing and dementia, grief
and bereavement, and the trials and burdens of long-term care.
The Compassionate Community Awards 2021 are supported by the Kent Messenger. The nominations close on Friday 27 August at 5pm after which they will be shortlisted by judges Rachel Street, Cllr David Burton, MBC Chief Executive and KM editors in September. The winners will be announced on Thursday 21 October. If you would like to nominate an individual or organisation please go to the website: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/features/compassionate-awards/
or email: compassionateawards@maidstone.gov.uk