DEVON County Council’s Community Transport Awards is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and nominations are now open for the 2019 awards.

The annual award ceremony honours the dedicated staff and volunteers who help deliver Devon’s essential community transport services.

To mark the milestone anniversary of the awards, two special new categories have been added this year — the community transport photography competition, where entries are invited from over 18s to capture the essence of what community transport is all about in a photograph, and the best team contribution to the community, which has a small cash prize of £200.

The other categories of awards are volunteer drivers, volunteer community transport enabler and employee of the year.

One of the individual volunteer award winners will also be selected by a panel of judges as community transport volunteer of the year.

Nomination forms are available from the county council. Nominations and photograph entries must be submitted by noon on Monday, June 3.

Passengers, staff, volunteers, community organisations, service providers and town and parish councils can nominate anyone working or volunteering in the community transport sector for the awards.

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council cabinet member with responsibility for community transport, said: ‘Everyone involved in community transport in Devon deserves thanks for what they do for their local communities and over the past 20 years this award ceremony has helped to recognise some of the hard work and commitment that goes into running these vital services in our county. Community transport is a lifeline to many people across Devon and we’re hoping for plenty of nominations to help us celebrate this 20th anniversary year.’

This year’s award ceremony will be held in Exeter on Thursday, July 18. Successful nominees and their proposer will be invited to attend.

Alternatively call Devon County Council’s community transport team on 01392 382123.

Completed forms can be emailed to [email protected] or print and send them to: Community Transport Team, Transport Co-ordination Service, County Hall, Exeter, EX2 4QD.