As part of Neighbourhood Watch Week celebrations last week, the volunteer organisation has launched the Volunteer Recognition Awards 2024 nominations.

Rutland residents can now nominate local people for the awards, with categories including crime prevention and community wellbeing.

A spokesperson for the group said: "Neighbourhood Watch Network is so proud of our network of volunteers and the work that they do in their local communities. From Coordinators of scheme and areas, to Association Leads and the Committees that support you and the Multi-Scheme Administrators that work so hard to the Cyberhood Watch Ambassadors that deliver crime prevention advice, they all have a part to play."

The Volunteer Recognition Awards are a way of saying a huge thank you and winners will be presented with their awards at the annual Crime and Community Conference in September.

Last year, the NWN received over 500 nominations in the three categories and this was so well received that they have extended the categories to 5 this year. 

The categories are:

• Innovation and Reach
• Crime Prevention
• Community Health and Wellbeing
• Young Volunteer of the Year
• Special Recognition Award 

More information about the categories can be found on the NWN website. 

Volunteers nominated must be Neighbourhood Watch volunteers. The awards are sponsored this year by SimpliSafe.

You only have a few weeks to nominate remaining so if you are thinking of nominating a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer, then do so here.

The team concluded: "We are so looking forward to receiving and reading through the nominations and being able to celebrate the volunteers that provide so much help and support to their communities."