Sussex And Surrey Community Heroes To Be Celebrated At BBC Awards

Local heroes from across Sussex and Surrey will be recognised tonight (Monday) at the 14th annual BBC Radio Sussex and BBC Radio Surrey Make a Difference Awards.

The ceremony, held at Lingfield Park Racecourse in Surrey, will honour winners in eight categories: Volunteer, Young Hero, Great Neighbour, Active, Animal, Green, Fundraiser and Community Group.

Hundreds of people were nominated by listeners, with four finalists chosen in each category.

The overall winners have been selected by a panel of local celebrities and dignitaries.

Among those shortlisted is Bexhill 100 Motoring Club, up for the Fundraiser award after raising £24,000 for local charities in August alone.

Worthing’s Jeanie Dickinson is a finalist in the new Active category, having built the Phoenix Over 50s sports club from just 15 members to more than 400.

Olympic 400m hurdle champion Sally Gunnell is among the judges.

In Surrey, 85-year-old Wendy Tanqueray has been nominated in the Great Neighbour category for her tireless work picking litter in Esher and supporting her local church.

Meanwhile, Men’s Pit Stop and Andy’s Man Club have been recognised in the Community Group category for their efforts to support men’s mental health.

BBC Radio Sussex presenter Danny Pike, who is hosting the ceremony, said it would be an “uplifting evening” celebrating those who “do so much to make where we live great.”

Coverage of the awards will be broadcast on BBC Radio Sussex and BBC Radio Surrey on Tuesday.