IT’S at the heart of the local community – and Basingstoke Community Radio is proud to be one of the sponsors at this year’s landmark A Place to be Proud of Awards.

Basingstoke Community Radio is supporting the Arts and Entertainment Award – and the team know what a great feeling it is to win the prize as they triumphed in this category in 2020.

This year marks the 20th birthday of the A Place to be Proud of Awards, and Graham Hardy, station manager at Basingstoke Community Radio, is delighted that the station is involved in this milestone event.

Graham said: “We work very closely ongoing with charities and groups, including many arts and entertainment organisations, within our community, and we understand the hard work that many people and groups put in to make our community a brighter place to be.

“Good luck to all nominees in this year's Arts and Entertainment category, and we look forward to receiving the nominations as there are so many individuals and groups who deserve to be showcased and celebrated.”

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It was back in 2003 that the first A Place to be Proud of Awards were launched – and since then, hundreds of wonderful finalists and winners have been recognised for their outstanding achievements in, or contributions to, Basingstoke and Deane.

The team at Destination Basingstoke, with the support of community-focused sponsors, have organised the awards for many years, and this successful partnership is the driving force behind the 2023 awards which will culminate in the grand finale at The Haymarket Theatre, in Basingstoke, on the evening of Thursday, June 8.

Jonathan Pender, chair of Destination Basingstoke, said: “The A Place to be Proud of Awards is always a special occasion, and this year’s event will be particularly memorable as we celebrate the 20th birthday of the awards.

“Destination Basingstoke, with the support of fantastic sponsors and key partners, has been delighted to deliver these awards for many years, and it is always wonderful to put the spotlight on the people, businesses and community organisations that make Basingstoke and Deane a place to be proud of.

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“The judges are looking forward to receiving lots of nominations and to selecting the finalists and winners for this landmark occasion.”

There are a range of categories, sponsored by local businesses. The awards are free to enter, and the categories are:

  • Health & Wellbeing Award – sponsored by Lilly
  • Community Project Award – sponsored by Destination Basingstoke
  • Above and Beyond Award – sponsored by Castle Trust Bank
  • Volunteer of the Year Award – sponsored by Beaufort Financial (Reading)
  • Arts & Entertainment Award – sponsored by Basingstoke Community Radio
  • Young Role Model Award – sponsored by Queen Mary’s College 
  • Unsung Hero Award – sponsored by Champion Group
  • Business and the Community Award – available for sponsorship

As well as celebrating this year’s finalists and winners, the 2023 A Place to be Proud of Awards is offering past winners the chance to make a welcome return and be part of this memorable evening.

One hundred free tickets have been reserved for past winners on a first come, first served basis. To get yours, please email Mark Jones on mark.jones@destinationbasingstoke.co.uk, stating what award you won and when. The deadline to register for these free tickets is Friday, March 31.

Destination Basingstoke will once again be working with Basingstoke Voluntary Action, as a key partner, to help ensure the call to nominate reaches every part of the community, and the Gazette, which was a founder of the awards in 2003, is the media partner for the 20th year.

Nominations can be made online at destinationbasingstoke.co.uk and the closing date is April 28, 2023. All nominees of finalists will be invited to the awards ceremony.