The Sunderland group which makes an Almighty difference - and now it's up for an award

Officials and members of Youth Almighty were stunned to be chosen as the Community Project category winners in 2014.

But now they’re back and the Tunstall Village Road-based scheme is stronger than ever.

Youth Almighty’s Joanne Laverick explained: “We have expanded and we do more community work as well as youth work.

“We are now doing social isolation projects where we get people more involved in the community. It is going really well and we are getting 40 to 50 people aged between 30 and 90.

“It is making a great difference to them. Before, they would not get out of the house.”

Youth Almighty is a project run by the young people of Sunderland with the help and support of youth workers and volunteers.

Activities include centre-based sessions, detached sessions, outreach, activity breaks and one-to-one support.

Joanne described this year’s nomination as “a big surprise. It shows that the work we are doing is recognised. We are over the moon to be nominated again.”

We’ve got off to a great start with nominations for this year’s awards but we want plenty more and here are lots more details on the 2019 competition.

This year’s competition has backing from headline sponsor BGL Group, partner sponsor Gentoo and category sponsors Stagecoach and Calsonic Kansei.

We thank them all for getting on board and now comes your turn to get involved.

Send your name, address and telephone number, as well as your email address, if applicable. Remember to include the category you are putting your nominated cause into.

Also send the name of the person you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known). Send all of that to Lynn Wild by no later than mid-February.

You can nominate in any one of three ways.

l Email those entries to [email protected].

l Send them to Lynn Wild, Alexander House, Second Floor, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland. DH4 5RA.

l Visit the website at https://www.bestofwearside.co.uk.

The categories

Local Hero.

Green Champion.

Student of the Year.

Fundraiser of the Year.

Volunteer of the Year.

Sporting Achievement.

Community Group.

Community Champion.

Child of Achievement.

Child of Courage.

Once we pass the competition deadline, the panel of judges will meet days later to draw up this year’s shortlist of contenders.

Those who are still in the running will learn their fate at the glittering grand finale on Thursday, March 28. Watch out for more details on that coming soon.

After the event, we’ll bring you a colour supplement with photographs and interviews from the night.

But for now, the main thing is to get those entries in!