Runnymede civic awards

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 wider recognition for what they do in the borough.

These awards are not just about recognising length of service to a community – we want to highlight fantastic contributions made by residents of all ages who have improved the lives of others or gone that extra mile or achieved something amazing.

Nominations need to

• Provide clear evidence that the nominee has positively impacted the borough and residents
• Explain why the nominee is an outstanding example of caring selflessly for others in the community, how they bring the community together or what they have achieved
• Describe how the nominee is a “shining example” of active citizenship, bravery, community contribution or role model to others
• Explain how the nominee has enhanced the reputation of the borough and/or enhanced civic or cultural life for residents

Hints and tips for successful nominations

• Ensure that the work you are referencing, and any examples have taken place within 2025.
• Choose the award you are nominating for carefully to ensure it is the best fit for your nomination. Some categories are more popular than others, so competition can be tough for some of the awards, so ensure you have nominated for the most appropriate one.
• Quality over quantity!  Although it is impressive to receive lots of nominations, what really counts is the quality of the nomination and ensuring all the information has been provided to really impress the judges.
• Don’t be modest… we want to hear how amazing the people and organisations of Runnymede really are. Give us all the details!
• Don’t be scared to enter… even if you think other people have a better chance of winning. The judges will look at all the entries from many different angles, and everyone has a fair chance.
• If you entered, were shortlisted or even won an award last year don’t let that stop you from entering again this year – just make sure your nominations focus on the achievements in 2025.
• Send supporting documentation… we love to see pictures, facts and figures and anything else that helps provide evidence to the judges. Once you have completed the online form you will be sent details of how to do this.
• Ensure that the person you are nominating has agreed to be nominated and that you provide us with the correct contact information so that we can invite them to the awards ceremony if they are shortlisted.  

Whilst completing the form online, you will be asked for the following information. Therefore, it is advisable to have all this information to hand before you start filling in the form.

There is a section for you to provide your reason for nominating. The maximum length of text for this box is 4000 characters, and therefore we have provided additional text boxes incase you need to write more. We recommend you to write this part of the form in advance (potentially in MS Word / Notes / similar) so that you can cut and paste the information directly into the form - this also helps to minimise the risk of you losing anything you have written during the submission process.

About you (the nominator)

• Your name
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• Are you a Councillor or member of staff at Runnymede Borough Council (if yes, you are still very welcome to submit a nomination)

About the nominee (the person/organisation you are nominating)

• Name of Person (or relevant contact at an organisation)
• Name of Organisation/Club/Team/Group (if relevant)
• Their Address
• Their Email
• Their Phone Number
• Their Date of Birth (if under 18)

Award Nomination

• Which category and award you are nominating them for
• Reason for nominating
• Declarations that the nominee has agreed to be nominated
• Agreement you have read the rules
• Where you heard about the Civic Awards

After you have submitted the nomination you will receive an email confirmation which will contain a reference number.  If you would like to submit additional information or photographs, please reply to this email attaching the relevant documents so that they can be matched with your nomination reference number.

Following the judging process we will contact the person/group you have nominated directly to let them know if they have been shortlisted or not.  Therefore, please ensure that the information you provide in this section is accurate and that you have the relevant permission to provide their details.  If shortlisted, the person/group you have nominated will be invited to the Awards Ceremony on 10 March at Thorpe Park.  

If you have any questions, need advice or further information, or experience any problems using the online form, please contact us at civicawards@runnymede.gov.uk