Mid Sussex Applause Awards

Nominate an unsung hero for this year’s Mid Sussex Applauds Awards

There’s still time to make a nomination for this year’s Mid Sussex Applauds Awards, an annual event that celebrates the community’s unsung heroes.

Organised by Mid Sussex District Council, nominations for eight categories can be made until 14th March, by taking just a few minutes to fill out a form that can be found on www.midsussexapplauds.co.uk. Winners will be invited to a special ceremony in May to receive their awards.

Cllr Anne-Marie Cooke, Cabinet Member for Communities and Communications, said: “We know there must be so many individuals, groups and businesses in the district who carry out fantastic work for our community. We really want to hear about them.

“Nominating someone is easy, just fill out the form and tell us in your own words why you think they should be one of this year’s winners. It’s our chance to thank them for everything they do.”

Last year’s winners included Bodhi Peckham, pictured, who won Young Hero of the Year, after his battle with leukaemia touched the nation’s heart. On the day of his birthday party, he was in hospital donning a pair of pants on his head. This sparked the viral #pantstoleukaemia campaign, which was followed by a ‘grands pants’ party at Danny House in Hurstpierpoint that raised over £20,000 for Leukaemia UK.

The achievements of other winners included a lifetime’s dedication to improving the lives of those with dementia, setting up a new coffee lounge as a hub for community support, running a youth club that had served local people for over 22 years and a community-driven initiative addressing the climate emergency.

The award categories for 2025 are – Volunteer of the Year, Community Project of the Year, Young Hero of the Year, Business in the Community, Community for All Award, Environment and Climate Champion, Community Hero of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award.