It’s time to celebrate the heroes in our community

We can hardly believe that it’s the time of year when we start to think about our prestigious Local Hero Awards for 2025.Today we launch the search for our next group of unsung heroes and we need your help to sing their praises.We need you to let us know the people in our community who have worked tirelessly to help others, gone above and beyond expectations or triumphed during difficult times.

We are looking for our readers to nominate for the Your Local Paper Local Hero Awards 2025, with headline sponsorship from West Norfolk Council and local businesses sponsoring individual awards.Council leader Alistair Beales said: “West Norfolk is a great place to live, that is helped by the efforts of volunteers, considerate neighbours, and fundraisers in our communities.“They care about the area they live in and care about the people they live near. What they do can make big a difference, but they don’t shout about it, so that effort often goes unrecognised and unrewarded. “We think they should receive acknowledgement, so are pleased to be the headline sponsor of these awards which help to recognise and celebrate the achievements of all our unsung local heroes.”This year’s host will be local man David Blackmore – a roving reporter with ITV’s This Morning. The Gaywood resident has previously hosted the Lynn News’ Mayor’s Business Awards from 2015 to 2023 and is often seen on the daytime show reporting back from around the world to This Morning’s hosts Ben Shephard, Cat Deeley, Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond.The 38-year-old was born and raised in London and moved to Norfolk in 2010 to work in Lynn before starting at ITV in 2015.David has been a regular face at awards evenings around the UK since he hosted his first event in Downham Market in 2012. A keen runner, David can be spotted running around Lynn, he’s also run the Grand East Anglia Run (GEAR) several times since 2012 and is a regular at the parkrun in The Walks.This year he took his running to another level by completing a quest to run all six major marathons in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York, a feat completed by just 165 runners around the world.Nominations for the awards are now open and we want you to help us celebrate the heartwarming kindness, remarkable effort or strength during difficult times shown by the most inspiring members of our community.For the past four years, we have been proud to celebrate all that is good in West Norfolk as a result of our amazing community. Categories cover a broad range, with the borough council sponsoring the Chris Bamfield Lifetime Achievement Award in memory of a former colleague.We are also looking for nominations in the following categories: Volunteer of the Year, Young Person of the Year, Neighbour of the Year, Work Colleague of the Year, Carer/Health Professional of the Year, Sports Person or Team of the Year, Emergency and Uniformed Services Award, Teacher of the Year, Fundraiser of the Year and Triumph Over Adversity.We are grateful to our sponsors this year who are: West Norfolk Council, WWSA Global Scaffolding Management, Alive West Norfolk, Greenyard Frozen, Prestige Roofs Ltd and the Duke’s Head Hotel.There are still opportunities for any businesses to come on board and sponsor one of the categories.
It’s a very emotional evening, highlighting the best of West Norfolk and a great event to sponsor. Any businesses who want to find out more can contact Rachel Green on 07393 266718 or email rachel.green@iliffepublishing.co.ukNominees for our awards must live or work within the borough. Your nomination should be made online via our dedicated website www.ylpheroawards.com or via our www.yourlocalpaper.co.uk website by clicking the Hero Awards button.If you are unable to make an online nomination, call our office on 01553 611111 and we will do our best to help you.Nominations close at 5pm on February 12 and will be judged by a panel which will include the borough mayor. The prestigious award ceremony will take place at King’s Lynn’s Alive Corn Exchange on April 23.If you know someone who deserves recognition, has been an inspiration, gone over and above what was expected of them or has a personal or sporting achievement which should be celebrated, make your nomination now.For more details see our social media: www.facebook.com/localherokl, www.instagram.com/localherokl/ and https://twitter.com/localherokl