Northamptonshire Community Foundation reveals nominees in first two categories for annual awards

Community groups, charities and social enterprises from across the county are being thanked and celebrated for all their hard work with awards.

The Northamptonshire Community Foundation 2022 awards return on Thursday, December 8, for the first time in three years.

Set to take place at the Royal and Derngate, more than 20 groups and individuals will be in the spotlight and up for awards.

Northamptonshire Community Foundation chief executive officer Rachel McGrath said: “Our awards evening is an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the amazing work of local charities and community groups across our county and say a heartfelt thank you to our generous donors and partners who make the good work taking place across Northamptonshire possible.

“Many of our nominees have been supporting our most vulnerable residents throughout the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis. Their work has never been so vital and it is important that they receive the recognition they deserve.”

Categories include best newcomer, trailblazer, brilliant group, the edge and a lifetime achievement award. The awards also includes the Lady Juliet Townsend Award for volunteering, the High Sheriff Initiative Fund Award and The Inspirational Women Annual Award, a category run in partnership with Avon.

Best newcomer, sponsored by SugaRich, aims to highlight new groups Northamptonshire Community Foundation has not previously funded.

Nominees are:

Northants Litter Wombles - a countywide community action group of more than 200 volunteers whose vision is to create a litter-free county by 2030. The group supplies litter picking equipment to encourage residents to take part in organised group litter picks.

African Youth Arise - a community organisation that works with young people aged between 11 to 25-years-old and their parents, who are of African descent and based in the East Midlands. Their ‘Get Active’ project was set up to improve their wellbeing and mental health through sessions such as Zumba, step-dance, Afro yoga, swimming and wellbeing workshops.

Blisworth Friendship Group – who aim to develop a sense of mutual support and friendship within the community. This group holds various functions and events, including quiz nights, party evenings, choir nights, craft days and afternoon tea.

Trailblazer, sponsored by Novacroft, is designed to celebrate groups using ‘innovative solutions’ to tackle existing or emerging issues.

Nominees are:

Sound Foundations Early Intervention and Psychotherapy Hub – a Wellingborough-based charity that works with parents and babies to provide a range of therapies and workshops. Thanks to a grant the group has been able to deliver an eight-week project, alongside Pen Green Children's Centre in Corby, combining infant massage with music therapy techniques to help strengthen positive bonding between parents/carers and their children.

Wriggle Dance Theatre– whose interactive cinema experience ‘Squidge’ has inspired 480 children in lower income areas across Corby and Kettering.

Chiral Communities – a group that specialises in sensory projects for those with dementia or autism, or young children or those with complex needs.

60 Miles by Road or Rail – an arts and heritage organisation that created a pop-up heritage exhibition in September 2021 in an empty unit in Northampton’s Grosvenor Centre.

Northamptonshire Community Foundation is an independent grant-making charity awarding grants of more than £1m annually.