It’s a special year for the Pride of Reading Awards this year as the event celebrates its 20th Anniversary – and organisers are asking the people of Reading to help them make it a bumper year.
With the ‘20th Anniversary’ campaign to be launched at the Malmaison hotel this week, the call has gone out for people to get ready to nominate the best and most brilliant in our community.
One of the awards organisers, Matt Whitelock, said: “We have more award categories than ever this year thanks to sponsors old and new, so there is plenty of scope to put forward nominees from all sectors of the community.
“We had a record number of excellent nominations last year and we hope the people of Reading will break that record by sending us their suggestions for worthy winners.”
He added: “When all this started in 2004 someone warned us there wouldn’t be enough brilliant people in the town to warrant a second year. They couldn’t have been more wrong.”
Green initiatives, community events, top independent retailers and hospitality businesses all figure in the categories along with a new ‘Welcome All’ award which celebrates companies and organisations who are welcoming and supporting our town’s diverse communities.
“Local heroes, community champions, outstanding charities, schools and employees – we want to hear about them all, the true colours of Reading’s finest,” said Matt.
This year the awards lunch will be held again in October at the home of the Royals, the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
“Our 2024 website porawards.co.uk will be launched this weekend where everyone can find all of the information about categories, sponsors and how to nominate their choices,” said Matt.
Phil Creighton, editor of Reading Today, which is sponsoring the Independent Retailer of the Year award and supporting the awards with publicity, said: “Look out for up-to-date news on the awards in the columns of the newspaper every Thursday, and on our website rdg.today.”
