Community Awards 2026

Harborough District Annual Community Awards event recognises and celebrates the contributions of voluntary and community groups and individuals.

Members of the public will nominate community groups, voluntary organisations, charities, volunteers, businesses and others who make a valuable contribution to their local community within the Harborough District.

The Community Awards consist of seven award categories which recognise groups in the community. These are:

• Voluntary and Community Group of the Year
• Young Person of the Year (11-18yrs)
• Volunteer of the Year (19-59yrs)
• Volunteer of the Year (age 60+yrs)
• The Citizenship Cup
• Stronger Together: Workplace Impact Award
• Business-Community Impact of the Year Award 

Small judging panels including officer representatives from the Council and local groups, Harborough District Youth Council, and The Market Harborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce will review all applications and choose a shortlist of nominations who will be invited to the Community Award Event evening.

The Community Awards Event is to be held on 1 October 2026 at Kibworth Community Hub. This is an opportunity to meet with the finalists, hear about their work and to thank them publicly for all that they do and to announce the winners and runners-up in each category.

How to nominate

Nominations are now open, and completed nominations must be submitted before midnight on Tuesday 18 August 2026. Any nominations received after the closing date will not be considered.

Once you have read the terms and conditions, using the link at the bottom of this page, please complete your nomination form, making sure you select the correct category. Nominations must be submitted by using this form. The Council will process any personal data in accordance with the Council’s Privacy Notice, which can be found at  www.harborough.gov.uk/privacy

There is no restriction for the number of nominations or categories completed, although each nomination will need to be submitted on a separate form.

The judging panels will meet to review the nominations, and successful nominations/nominees will be notified about the decision of the judging panel.

If you would like to nominate a person or organisation for an award, and have read the criteria and terms and conditions, please complete the nomination form using the link below.  If you have difficulty accessing or completing the form, please email communityawards@harborough.gov.uk for assistance.

Please make your nomination using this online nomination form.