General Criteria

Each nomination will be assessed against three general criteria:

  • The background and particular circumstance relating to the individual or organisation and their journey
  • The voluntary effort that the individual or organisation has made and is making
  • The impact or difference that voluntary effort has made and is making to our communities within Blackburn with Darwen.

Volunteer of the Year Award

Awarded to the volunteer whose enthusiasm and dedication to volunteering has made a real difference to the community within the past year.  Anyone can be directly nominated for the Volunteer of the Year Award. However, the awards panel reserve the right to elevate any nomination to the volunteer of the year category if they think the nomination merits receiving the overall award.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Awarded to the volunteer who has demonstrated an exemplary long-term commitment to the voluntary, community and faith sector through sharing their expertise, skill set and knowledge.  To qualify for the award the individual must have volunteered or worked within the voluntary, community and faith sector for a minimum of 20 years.

Good Neighbour Award

Awarded to people who go above and beyond for their neighbours and make their communities tick, but don’t expect any reward.

Culture, Leisure & Sporting Life Category

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual volunteer or team of volunteers whose enthusiasm and dedication has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to the culture, leisure and sporting life of Blackburn with Darwen.

Organisational Award

Awarded to an organisation from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to the culture, leisure and sporting life of Blackburn with Darwen.

Health & Well Being Category

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual volunteer or team of volunteers whose enthusiasm and dedication has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to improving the health and well-being of residents of Blackburn with Darwen.

Organisational Award

Awarded to an organisation from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to improving the health and well-being of residents of Blackburn with Darwen.

Prosperity, Learning & Employment Category

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual volunteer or team of volunteers whose enthusiasm and dedication has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to improving the prosperity, skills or employment prospects of residents of Blackburn with Darwen.

Organisational Award

Awarded to an organisation from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to improving the prosperity, skills or employment prospects of residents of Blackburn with Darwen.

Environment Award

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual volunteer or team of volunteers whose enthusiasm and dedication has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to improving the local environment and having a positive impact on people’s lives within Blackburn with Darwen.

Organisational Award

Awarded to an organisation from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to improving the local environment and having a positive impact on people’s lives within Blackburn with Darwen.

Integration Award

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual volunteer or team of volunteers whose enthusiasm and dedication has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to bringing together the different communities of Blackburn with Darwen and building a shared understanding between different sections of our community.

Organisational Award

Awarded to an organisation from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to bringing together the different communities of Blackburn with Darwen and building a shared understanding between different sections of our community.

Lindsay Dunn Award

This award is awarded in memory of Lindsay Dunn, a volunteer who was passionate about helping the most marginalised people within society. 

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual volunteer or team of volunteers whose enthusiasm and dedication has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to improving the lives of people experiencing complex, severe and multiple disadvantage (e.g. suffering from poverty, homelessness, poor mental health, offending background, recovering from alcohol or substance misuse, domestic abuse, etc.)

Organisational Award

Awarded to an organisation from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to the lives of people experiencing complex, severe and multiple disadvantage (e.g. suffering from poverty, homelessness, poor mental health, offending background, recovering from alcohol or substance misuse, domestic abuse, etc.)

Young People’s Award

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual volunteer or team of volunteers whose enthusiasm and dedication has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to giving children and young people the best start in life within Blackburn with Darwen.

Organisational Award

Awarded to an organisation from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to giving children and young people the best start in life within Blackburn with Darwen.

Grassroots Category

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual who has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to a community group, small charity, social enterprise that is run entirely by volunteers and has an annual income of under £10,000.

Organisational Award

Awarded to any small organisation (income less than £10,000) from the voluntary, community and faith sector whose voluntary efforts have made a real difference to the residents and borough of Blackburn with Darwen.

Community Involvement Category

Individual Award

Awarded to any individual from across the public, commercial or voluntary, community and faith sectors who has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to getting their organisation more involved in the community encouraging fundraising, volunteering, etc.

Organisational Award

Awarded to any organisation from across the public, commercial or voluntary, community and faith sectors whose commitment to social responsibility has made a real difference to the residents and borough of Blackburn with Darwen.


Award Sponsors and Supporters

Many thanks to our award sponsors and supporters without whose support we would be unable to put on the Community Volunteer Awards ceremony.