NOMINATIONS are now starting to roll in for this year's Wirral Volunteer of the Year Award.

Among the first to be received at the Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, offices of Wirral Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), organisers of the hugely successful idea which salutes those whose voluntary work often goes unnoticed, is one for a housewife with a heart of gold . . .

The woman, whose name has been put forward in the Older Person (over 65) category, is said by her nominator to be a champion of the older people in her neighbourhood.

Virtually every day, she cheerfully volunteers to go shopping for groceries, prescriptions and "generally helps people older than herself - and she is over 70 years young!" says her nominator.

"Most days, even at weekends, she is out and about thinking of others - and has done so for many years! She thinks nothing of distance and time, if she is looking for a specific item for someone housebound."

Incredibly, the woman has a pacemaker and is diabetic. "But she usually does someone a good turn each day, including me," says her proud nominator.

The nomination typifies precisely the sort of 'unsung hero' for whom the Wirral Volunteer of the Year Award is targeted.

And it is you - the public - who will decide who follows in the footsteps of the three previous winners, Eastham's Bill Hughes, the first ever recipient in 1995, Mary (May) Burscough, of Rock Ferry, and the current title holder, Walter Robinson, of Wallasey.

Mr Tony Sandwell, of Wirral CVS, said people had until Saturday, April 25 to send in their nominations.

"But we hope that, like last year, people will not wait until the last minute," he said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for people to salute in the most tangible way the voluntary efforts of those who do so much for their own particular community."

It is not just individuals, either, who can be put forward - a voluntary group which works for the benefit of the community can also be nominated for the Specialist Category prize.

"It could be a residents' association or a person or people who demonstrate community spirit, regenerating their locality for the good of the Borough," said Angela Green, also of Wirral CVS.

The Specialist Category is one of six which make up this year's Wirral Volunteer of the Year Award, with the overall winner coming from one of them.

Category winners and the overall winner will be announced at a special presentation evening at The Pyramids Shopping Centre, Birkenhead, on Thursday, June 4.

Nomination forms are available at all CVS offices, Wirral libraries, community centres and the Wirral Globe offices in Catherine Street, Birkenhead.

This year's six category awards are:-

1: Unemployed

2: Employed (for volunteering in their own time)

3: Young Person (Under-25)

4: Older Person (Over 65)

5: Disabled Person

6: Specialist Category - Community Development Award (an individual or group working to improve their community).

AS well as awards, the category winners will also receive prizes which are being donated by local companies.

Each of the category winners will receive a pair of tickets to enjoy a film at Apollo 6 Cinema, Wallasey. The overall Wirral Volunteer of the Year will receive a meal for four at the Pastime Restaurant, Birkenhead. Award organisers hope to announce more prizes shortly and express their gratitude to those companies who are supporting the Wirral Volunteer of the Year Award.

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