Who are you proud of in Manchester? Let them know!

Manchester City Council has launched their annual community recognition awards, the Manchester 2009 Be Proud Awards.

The Awards give people the opportunity to nominate members within their community who deserve an official thank-you.

The council has been running community awards for many years with many unsung heroes finally receiving the recognition from their community that they deserve.

There are eight award categories with the introduction this year of 'Manchester's Got Talent' running alongside the usual 'Good Neighbour' and 'Outstanding Young Person' categories. People can nominate anyone who lives or works within Manchester's city boundaries.

If you know someone who helps to improve their community and you would like to nominate them for a Be Proud Award, you can call 0161 953 2733 for an application form or visit: www.beproudlovemanchester.com for further information and to complete an on-line nomination.

Closing date for Be Proud nominations is Friday 2 October 2009.

Councillor Jim Battle, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council said: "We know that there are many people working hard to improve lives in our communities.

"The Be Proud Awards are a great way to recognise these community heroes. They make a real difference to the people they live and work with and we want them to know that they are appreciated."

All the winners will be invited to the Town Hall for a special gala evening on 9 December 2009 to celebrate their achievements, and all category winners receive cash prizes.

The eight award categories are:

Manchester's Got Talent

Good Neighbour

Contribution to the Environment (group or individual)

Contribution to the Community (group or individual)

Taking a Stand

Sporting Achievement

Young Person of the Year

Citizen of the Year