09 Sep Thank you for your nominations – Torbay Community Champion Awards 2026

It is a busy old time at Torbay Communities (when isn’t it?)

We have just closed the nominations for the Torbay Community Champion Awards, and the judges are whittling down the entries before making their final decisions on Friday, September 18^th.

And thanks to you, the judges once again have their work cut out for them, with around 100 entries across nine categories and as in previous years, the standard is high.

But whilst there will be overall winners, each and every one of those nominations represents recognition, and all should be proud of having made the list.

Being a part of the team that organises these awards is a huge privilege. It is not every day you get to meet real community heroes, as most of t hem work tirelessly behind the scenes, not seeking praise or even thanks

The awards seek to change that, and we all get the chance to celebrate them putting them high on the pedestal that the so deserve. Even though over the last three years we have identified around 400 of them, we know there are many more out there.

Just a reminder, these are the categories that we will be judging over the next couple of weeks:

• Health & Wellbeing Champion – anyone committed to improving the health and wellbeing of others, including those with additional needs/disabilities, illnesses or conditions, through advocacy, activities or supporting patients. Previously won by Bryan Pitman in 2024 and Up & Running Torbay in 2025
• Climate & Environment Champion – those dedicated to their local environment, sustainability and its protection. Previously won by Cricketfield Community Garden in 2024 and Mike Langman in 2025
• Good Neighbour Award – residents striving to support those in their neighbourhood. Previously won by Jess Gane in 2024 and William Taylor in 2025
• Carer of the Year – a person who aims to improve the life of an individual or group with their helpfulness, compassion and support Previously won by Kevin Helmore in 2024 and Ali Meadows in 2025
• Emergency Worker of the Year – workers who provide emergency services, safety awareness/training or any activities to ensure the safety and protection of others in emergencies. Previously won by Angie Manning in 2024 and Paul Northey in 2025
• Volunteering Team of the Year – a group of three or more people who make a real difference in their community or organisation. Previously won by H.M. Torbay Coastguard Rescue Team in 2024 and Brixham Rugby Football Club in 2025
• Volunteer of the Year – An individual who has committed, with passion and care, to supporting their cause/the community. Previously won by Barbara Sutton in 2024 and Paul Duchemin in 2025
• Young Volunteer of the Year – children, teenagers and young people who are supporting their communities, who may have overcome serious challenges to help themselves or others, with their dedication to local causes. Previously won by Leighton-Rose Jarrett in 2024, and Daisy Coote, Peter-Criss Brian Healy, Macey Gardiner and Yazmin Stanley in 2025
• Lifetime Award – a person who has dedicated a lifetime of care and support to their community in the Bay. Previously won by Norrms McNamara in 2024, and Carolyn Morgan, Major Ron Goodwin, and Tanny Stobart in 2025

There is also a tenth, overall category, the Community Champion for 2026, however, the key distinction with this award is that is not up to our panel of judges – that will be up to those of you who join us in October for the ceremony. The choices will be this year’s winners of the categories above, with our audience casting the deciding votes. Our previous winners for the last two years were Norrms McNamara, our Lifetime Award winner for 2024 and Tanny Stobart, one of our 2025 Lifetime Award winners.

On top of all the awards and love shared with our finalists (as well as a cream tea!) we will also be hosting a mini Volunteering Fair on 2^nd October at Bay Church, so if you’re interested in finding ways to help out your local community, do pop round and see what’s on offer – it truly can open up a whole world of opportunities, including, of course, the possibility of winning a future Torbay Community Champion Award. Or if you’re raring to go, you can visit the Volunteer Torbay website now – www.volunteertorbay.com, or contact Torbay Community Helpline by calling 01803 446022.