The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the importance of community into sharper focus as individuals and groups go to extraordinary lengths to support their neighbourhoods.
We are thrilled to celebrate the work of these unsung heroes as part of our drive to promote the positive things happening in its communities.
So we launched a Community Stars competition designed to recognise extraordinary acts of kindness and step being taken to improve our customers’ lives.
Our InFocus group has judged the first set of quarterly awards and announced three winners in the individual section and two in the group section.
Molly Morgan was selected as one of the winners after attempting to save the life of an elderly person in Bristol who had suffered a heart attack.
Sadly the older person passed away two days later but Molly showed real bravery to perform CPR under the instructions of a 999 telephone operator.
A kind-hearted teenager, also from Bristol, has been rewarded for her charity work.
Alanis Phillips, 15, has been making key rings and selling them at the front of her house in an effort to raise money for the NHS.
She has also organised online tombolas and raffles during lockdown as well as selling some of her toys from her garden.
Ben Carpenter is the third individual winner after he set up Grassroot Communities which is a non-profit organisation supporting young people in south Bristol.
In the group category, Holsworthy Mutual Aid Covid Support Group has been named one of the winners for their creative ways of supporting the Holsworthy community.
This includes a ‘bake-off’ competition and dressing unused shop fronts with lockdown galleries to brighten up the town.
Okehampton Covid Support Group has been selected as the other group winner for the work they have been doing in supporting people in Okehampton and the surrounding villages since March last year.
Having set up in a café the week before lockdown, the group set up a special phoneline which has become so popular, it is now used as a permanent community service.
Leanda Flower, Community Investment Manager for LiveWest, said: “It's truly inspiring to hear stories about how people across the region are helping their neighbours, friends, families and businesses, making such a big difference and bringing a smile to someone's face.
“We would like to say a big congratulations to all of our winners and to everyone who has been nominated.
“We want to hear more of these stories, and we are encouraging people to continue to nominate their community hero.”
Those that didn’t win an award this time around will be considered for an award when the May winners are announced.
To nominate yourself or someone else for the Community Stars awards, click here.
We would like to say thank you for the amazing work being carried out by all those who were nominated.
All nominations that didn't win an award will be considered for the next judging process in May.
Entries in the individual category were: Carolyn Boyce, Lynda Freeman, Joe Moorat, Ralph Abson, Paul Wilkes, Christine Ozkaya, Peter Davis, Christina Nicholas, Nigel Coombes, Jack Woodley, Andrea Bomanson, Pat Patel, Veronica Macintosh, Katie Rakoczi, Louise Pate, Theresa Higginson, Allanis Phillips, Jon and Kellie Clare, Molly Morgan, Ben Carpenter, Julia Tucker and Maureen Cooper.
In the group category, the entries were: Holsworthy Mutual Aid Co-ordinators, Many Hands, Avonmouth projects group, Food for Families, Gofa Furniture, Tavistock Locals Help, Okehampton Covid Support Group, Isca Enterprises.