Islington Mayor's Civic Awards gives you a chance to nominate local community heroes and make sure people who are working hard for the community don't go unsung. Last year's winners included gardeners, youth workers and volunteers working with older people. You can nominate a family member, a local business person or even a next

door neighbour.

Islington Mayor, Cllr Mouna Hamitouche says, "Every day across

Islington, people who care about their local community are making an

extraordinary difference. These actions often go unrewarded but we want them to get the recognition they truly deserve."

Nominations can be made online using the form at www.islington.gov.uk/Mayor, or by picking up a paper form at any local library. Nominations close on Friday 21 January 2011.

A special award for under 18s - The Ben Kinsella Award - recognises a

young person whose positive actions have made their mark on the local

community.  Benita Dafe won the award last year with a community safety

campaign in schools about knife crime.

Other Civic Award Winners last year included Islington Boxing Club,

'guerrilla gardener' Juana Torres and pensioners' party organiser Rene

Johnson. The awards are generously sponsored by the Islington Gazette.

Tony Allcock, editor of the Islington Gazette says, "The Islington Gazette is proud to be associated with these awards,

which do so much to highlight Islington’s many unsung heroes – those

selfless people who devote huge parts of their lives to helping others

and improving the wellbeing of the borough."

The Mayor's Civic Awards will be presented by the Mayor at a special

ceremony at Islington Town Hall on Upper Street on Thursday 24 March

2011. For more information, contact The Mayor's Office at the.mayor@islington.gov.uk or on 020 7527 3113.

Who are your community heroes in Finsbury Park? Let us know below!

Image courtesy of Islington Council