THIS year’s Place to be Proud of Awards will see the introduction of two new categories.

The awards, organised by Destination Basingstoke, celebrate the people, projects and organisations in the Basingstoke area that make a difference in the community.

This year will see the introduction of a Green Community project category and an Above and Beyond category, joining the eight usual sections.

The Above and Beyond category is a chance for people employed in public service that not only do a good job, but go beyond expectation in helping the community they work in. It could be a police officer, health worker, or housing officer.

Project manager at Destination Basingstoke, who organise the awards, Nina Muir, said: “In the past, we have had nominations for well-deserving people in employment, but with so many remarkable volunteers making a difference, they can be overlooked, so this is a special category to say thank you for people that work tirelessly in public service of all types.”

Nina added: “We believe the Green Community Award is also very topical, with a growth in environmental concerns globally, there are many examples of local action and it would be great to use the Awards to encourage and promote this sort of initiative.”

The deadline for nominations is March 22, and they can be made via destinationbasingstoke.co.uk or by downloading a form.