IT'S time to celebrate the unsung heroes in our Wiltshire communities.

We’re launching the Wiltshire Community Pride Awards to shine a light on the people that make a real difference to where they live.

Nominees can have done anything from helping out a neighbour in need to saving a life – we want to hear their stories and recognise their efforts.

If their conduct has had a positive impact on someone’s life, then we want to hear about it.

Nominations can be made by members of the public who know someone in their community who deserves celebrating.

Or by family and friends of someone who they feel deserves some recognition for what they do for their community.

Entries to the Community Pride Awards, which is sponsored by Nationwide and supported by Wiltshire Community Foundation, will be whittled down to three entries per category by a panel of judges before a ceremony is held where the winners will be revealed.

Editor of the Adver Pete Gavan said: "These are new awards for us, so we really need you to come forward and help us discover the heroes in our communities.

“We know there are people out there going the extra miles every single day and they’re exactly the people we’d like you to nominate.

"It's a fantastic way for them to get the recognition they deserve and I'm already looking forward to the inspirational stories we'll doubtless be hearing from the nominees.'

There are categories for people to enter, Lifesaver Award, Good Samaritan Award, Courage Award, Charity Champion Award, Charity Award, Volunteer Award, Hero Award, Achiever Award, Carer Award and the Environment Award.

So please, if you know someone who deserves recognition, get involved and get nominating.

To nominate someone for a Wiltshire Community Pride Award, go to www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/pride and follow the instructions. Nominations can only be made online.

If you would like to sponsor a category, please call Leahanne Reynolds on 01793 501737.

A word from our sponsor Nationwide

Doing what is right by local communities goes to the heart of what it means to be a building society. In fact, we invest at least one per cent of our pre-tax profits to support good causes each year.

This focus on building society remains as important to us today as when we were founded 130 years ago. We’re proud that we still use the power of the collective to help individual members, their families and the communities in which we live and work.

We encourage our employees to support the local causes they’re most passionate about, including many in the Wiltshire area – from school governors to providing local foodbanks with the supplies they need. With our headquarters based in Swindon and more than 7,000 employees working in sites across the county, they can make a real difference to local communities across Wiltshire and beyond.

This is why we’re honoured to be sponsoring this year’s Wiltshire Community Pride Awards.