A scheme to celebrate people who have gone above and beyond to help others in lockdown has been launched this week.

Lockdown Community Champions of Weston is sponsored by the Nightingale Group and run in partnership with the Mercury to celebrate people who have gone out of their way to help others during the pandemic.

We are asking people to nominate anyone you feel has helped others or contributed to the community during the lockdown – whether it is a carer who went out of their way to make you feel safe, a friendly neighbour who made sure you had enough food, or a key worker who supported people in their community.

Managing director of the Nightingale Group, Richard Nightingale, said: “We live in unprecedented times, Covid-19 has sown destruction and upheaval right across the country.

“Every local person has been touched in some way and sadly some of us have lost friends and family.

“Though there has been terrible sadness, we have also seen communities strengthening and coming together more than ever before and also great individual acts of kindness and bravery.

“I am really pleased to introduce this special round of Lockdown Community Champions, because no act of kindness, especially in these difficult times, should ever go uncelebrated.”

The Community Champions of Weston Awards were set up by Richard Nightingale in 2017 to celebrate the town’s unsung heroes.

This year, the awards will pay tribute to selfless individuals who have made people’s lives a little brighter during the pandemic.

Nominations can be submitted now and the scheme’s judges – Mr Nightingale, Mercury editor Vicky Angear, Weston’s MP John Penrose and North Somerset Citizens Advice – will meet in October to make their decision on the final winners.

More: Weston Community Champions revealed.

A socially-distanced awards ceremony will take place later in the year, with more details announced at a later date.

Between now and the awards ceremony the Mercury will showcase the scheme’s nominations to celebrate Weston’s lockdown community champions.

To make an application in writing, post your letter to Lockdown Community Champions, Weston Mercury, 32 Waterloo Street, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1LW. Alternatively, email them to vicky.angear@archant.co.uk and, where possible, please include a picture of your nominee.

In no fewer than 150 words, please tell the judges who you would like to nominate and why. Give examples where necessary of any fundraising and estimations of hours volunteered or sums raised.

Nominators must include their and the nominees’ contact details.

The deadline for nominations is September 24.