IT'S been a record year for nominations in the annual Community Stars Awards which are designed to reward unsung heroes across the district.

Since the 2017 awards were launched at the end of July a total of 107 nominations have been received - a massive 40 per cent jump on last year.

The awards are organised annually by the Telegraph & Argus and Bradford Council and people were given until Monday, September 25, to get their nominations in.

A panel of judges will be meeting shortly to sift through the nominations and pick out the most deserving in each category.

Once the shortlist has been drawn up, details of the three people, groups or organisations that have been selected in each of the eight categories, will be published in the T&A on November 1.

At this point it will be over to readers to vote for their winners.

Voting will close on November 27, and the winners will be revealed on December 6 at the awards night being held at the Midland Hotel in Bradford, where each category winner will be honoured with the Bradford Medal.

The Community Stars Awards are part of the People Can Make a Difference campaign which aims to recognise the voluntary work already being carried out in the district.

The campaign encourages people to make a difference in a number of ways, such as being neighbourly, through community action or volunteering, as well as raising money for local projects.

The awards are also sponsored by Better Start Bradford which runs schemes in the Bowling, Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton areas of the city, aiming to give babies and children in those areas a better start in life.

Nominations were sought in the following categories: Community Group, Fundraiser, Young Active Citizens, Good Neighbour, Volunteer, Community Champion, Business Can Make a Difference Award, and the sponsored award Better Start Bradford Outstanding Contribution to Volunteering.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Abid Hussain, welcomed the record number of nominations.

“Bradford is full of community minded people, so it’s not surprising the number of people being nominated for a Community Stars award has gone up so much this year," he said.

"I’m sure the Community Stars Award evening will be a fantastic event thanking those nominated for all the work they do.”