Do you know a local hero? Nominate them for an Audentior award!

Every day there are people making positive contributions to the lives of others and who have achieved something spectacular for Watford – now’s your chance to reward them.

The public are being invited to nominate one of these outstanding individuals, groups or businesses for one of Watford Borough Council’s Audentior Awards. The Audentior annual civic awards, now in their 13th year, are the Mayor’s way of rewarding townspeople who go above and beyond the call of duty. The awards ceremony is a glittering celebration that takes place at Watford Colosseum.

You can nominate someone for an Audentior award by completing an online form before Thursday 7th July.

Elected Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said: “These civic awards recognise hard work, dedication and personal achievement. Watford has countless people who regularly do wonderful things for the community – be it as a carer, volunteer, businessperson or neighbour. These people speak volumes for Watford and have really put the town on the map. This year we want to show our appreciation to an even wider group of people: There is now a greater emphasis on the achievements of people with a disability, and also a focus on sporting success. Help us to say thank you by nominating a person or group now.”

The award categories are:

·         The Mayor’s Award

·         The Chairman’s Award for Volunteer of the Year

·         Charitable Group Award

·         Charitable Business Award

·         The Lewington Price Disability Award - can apply to clubs, charities or a workplace

·         Mayor’s Sporting Achievement Award – Individual

·         Mayor’s Sporting Achievement Award – Group

·         The Special Achievement Award

Details of past winners can been found online, including Berice Andrews, who turns 80 on August 2nd.  She is a great-grandmother who ran fundraising breakfasts from her front room and won the Mayor’s Award during Watford Borough Council’s Audentior Awards last year. For years Berice invited strangers into her home for all-day breakfasts to raise cash for Cancer Research. Sometimes up to 90 people would turn up, paying her £2 entry fee to enjoy such delicacies as scrambled eggs on toast, coffee and tea. The increasing numbers of guests prompted her to change the location from her lounge to All Saints Church, Leavesden, where she took in up to £500 at a time.

Berice organised the annual event for the Watford Garston Townswomen’s Guild – where she recently finished a 10-year stint as chairman. She will become president of the Watford Lions Club for the third time on 3 July – a post she will hold for at least a year. She said: “I was so surprised and quite shocked and I felt honoured that I had received an Audentior award. I was really overwhelmed. Fancy me getting that, you know! It was out of this world that I had been put forward for it and I could not believe it.”

Unfortunately actions such as these often go unrewarded but you can change this by nominating one of these outstanding individuals, groups or businesses for an Audentior Award.

Elected Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: “It’s important that we recognise the hard work that people like Berice put into improving the lives of others. Everyone knows someone like that, someone who has really helped make Watford a better place to live in, and now’s your chance to reward them!”

(Source: Watford Borough Council)