The Diverse Cumbria Awards were set up to celebrate and award those who thrive to make a difference in 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' within Cumbria.

There are seven different categories, four judges and twenty one nominees who are all up for a chance in winning an award. The event will take place on September 3 in the Halston Hall, Carlisle.

Judging is split into two rounds. In the first round, all the judges get all of the nominations submitted by the public which they have to pick their top 3 in each category, this then gets scored and the 3 highest scoring nominations become the shortlists.

From here, all the shortlists are notified and asked to provide a 5 minute video of them explaining what they do in their own words.

In round two, all the judges sit together, watch these videos and pick from these videos who the winners of each category. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given out to any one from the shortlists who particularly stood out to the judges.

Sheila Gregory who won the award last year said:

“I was really delighted to win the award.  It was a total surprise but it's really nice to be appreciated in such a way. Diversity and inclusion have been so important to me through my working life and it means a great deal to me that colleagues in the field felt I deserved the award.”

Ben Vollans, Creator and Events Production Manager said:

"The awards themselves were set up to actually provide some recognition for the work that people in Cumbria do in the pursuit of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the county."

"For 6 years I ran Outreach Cumbria and worked alongside many of these people who just got on with their work and didn’t ever expect a thank you, so I wanted to change that"

The Awards started in 2015 but COVID meant they missed a year. Now heading towards the 6th awards show, the team hopes the recognition of the people who make our county a better place will only continue to grow.

Ben went spoke about the build up to the show, saying:

"I’m really excited about the Awards again this year, as they are the highlight of my year if I’m honest."

"Many of these people don’t believe they deserve the recognition they are being given and it’s humbling to know they are being awarded for their work." 

The awards are being held on the 3rd September at the Halston Hotel in Carlisle.

The nominees are:

Business Champion:

Emma Porter - Story Contracting

Razzamataz – South Lakes and Eden

Louise Branch - A New Hope

Educational Champion:

Zoey Slack – SENCO at Bishop Harvey Goodwin School

Beaconside Primary School

Carlisle College

Diversity Event:

Festival of Colours – Barrow Full

Learn by Lived Experience – North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust NHS (NCIC) – You’ll need to check if I have that name right, just doing it off memory right now.

Furness Pride – Barrow Dropzone

Organisation Champion:

Bee Unique – Cumbria wide

Cumbria Deaf Association – Cumbria wide

A Sitch Different - Barrow

Positive Role Model:

Alan Rankin - Sellafield

Matty Thicke – Penrith Pumas

Nadia Shaw – Bee Unique

Public Sector Champion:

Respect and Inclusion – NCIC

Leone Edwards – Councillor South Lakeland District Council

Gillian Day – University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay

Volunteer Champion:

Saj Ghafoor – Multicultural Cumbria

Steven Jack – Penrith Pumas

Kerry Carruthers – Nuclear Waste Services

Read more: The Ennerdale Show 2022 was a great end to summer in the Cumbrian countryside