Brecon Town Council has launched a new awards programme to celebrate the contribution volunteers make to our community.

The “Best of Brecon Awards”, which are being organised in partnership with the Brecon and Radnor Express and Brecon’s Volunteer Bureau, will celebrate the work of volunteers and community groups in Brecon.

Brecon Town Council now wants residents, community groups and businesses to nominate volunteers to win awards in seven special categories.

The categories are:

Young volunteer award

Volunteer of the year award

Award for voluntary group or team of the year

Personal achievement award

Trustee award

Community business award

Mayor’s award for outstanding contribution

The winners will be presented with awards, designed by a local artist at a special, COVID-safe event in May which will also be screened online.  The Town Council plan to make the Best of Brecon Awards an annual event as part of its Volunteers Week celebrations.

Cllr Chris Walsh, Mayor of Brecon, said: “Brecon is full of people who give so much to benefit the wellbeing of residents and our community. 

“The Town Council recognises the work volunteers do throughout the year to make Brecon an even better place to live and our new awards scheme will give volunteers some of the recognition they deserve.

“The awards ceremony, which will be held virtually this year, looks really exciting and I hope that residents and community groups will nominate the people who’ve done the hard work throughout the year.”

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, who proposed the scheme and led the project planning, added:

“The Best of Brecon Awards are about celebrating the incredible contribution volunteers make to our community.

“Through volunteering people in Brecon are supporting residents, sustaining local services and improving our community. We owe volunteers a huge debt of gratitude for all they do but particularly for the difficult circumstances in which they have worked during the last year.”