Your Heroes Awards 2026 - Help us to honour Your Heroes!

Your Heroes Awards

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Nominate Your Hero

Place your nominations online for hero of the year

Nominate your hero

Help us to honour Your Heroes!

The Your Heroes Awards celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026!

This annual, much-loved Staffordshire event celebrates the amazing, unsung heroes who make significant contributions to their communities within our county.

The awards celebrate the remarkable individuals and groups who make an outstanding difference across Staffordshire.

We emphasise the word Your to highlight that these awards belong to the community – because it is the people of Staffordshire who nominate, recognise and honour their own local heroes.

Your Heroes is sponsored by Lucideon, Drayton Beaumont, Sempar, Woolcool, PREM Management, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, The Potteries Educational Trust, KMF and Shepherd PR – and is organised at University of Staffordshire.

We are also immensely grateful for the support of businesses and organisations including Port Vale FC, Port Vale Foundation, Stoke City FC, Stoke City Foundation, World of Wedgwood, Ambassador Theatre Group, Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID, Newcastle-under-Lyme BID, Cross Rhythms City Radio and Alton Towers.

The Your Heroes campaign recognises Children of Courage, Future Stars, Charity Champions, Volunteers, Community Groups, NHS Heroes, Inspirations in Education, Carers, Uniformed Heroes, Individuals and organisations demonstrating Civic Pride and Sporting Icons.

Judges

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“The Your Heroes Awards campaign is one of the most important events on the Civic calendar because it celebrates the people and organisations that are, quite genuinely, the glue which bind our communities together."

"We are proud to share the stories of these humbling, unassuming individuals and groups – and highlight what a remarkable, friendly and inspiring place we live in. I am grateful to the sponsors and supporting partners who make Your Heroes possible."

"Ain’t no party like a Your Heroes party!”

Martin Tideswell, Director of Commercial Strategy, University of Staffordshire

Ada Haywood BEM – Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year nominee

Former potbank worker Ada Haywood BEM has raised around £1.5 million for charity during decades of fundraising. The 74-year-old, who made clay handles at Steelite for 32 years, organises an annual Pink Tie Ball and until recently collected…

18 Jun 2026

Craig Dagg – Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year nominee

Craig Dagg has led his work colleagues at StairBox to raise around £220,000 for the Dougie Mac Hospice over the last five years. Craig, who is facilities manager at the Trentham Lakes-based business, now has corporate fundraising included…

18 Jun 2026

From Longton and Proud CIC – Community Group of the Year nominee

What began as a desire to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic has grown into a volunteer-led organisation that continues to make a real difference to people across Longton every day. When families were struggling, neighbours helped neighbours.…

17 Jun 2026

Chris Ward – Civic Pride nominee

Part of Longton that’s helping to drive the town’s regeneration would have been demolished if it hadn’t been for the intervention of Chris Ward. Chris, the manager of Longton Exchange Shopping Centre, was asked to oversee the demolition…

Your Heroes Awards 2026 - Help us to honour Your Heroes!