Organisers of the Diverse Cumbria Awards are calling on local communities to step up and nominate their local champions – with the deadline now officially extended to Friday July 31.
Numbers for this year’s awards are currently tracking alongside last year’s impressive figures, but organisers have set their sights on doubling the entry pool before time runs out.
While popular categories like Organisation Champion, Positive Role Model, and Volunteer Champion continue to draw heavy interest, organisers are making a direct appeal for more entries in the Business Champion and Positive Young Person categories.
The event has steadily built a reputation as a cornerstone of the Cumbrian awards calendar, but backing from both Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council as Principal Public Partners has helped take its reach across the county to a whole new level.
Founder Ben Vollans said: “We’ve been genuinely overjoyed by the number of nominations already in—it’s proof of just how much brilliant work is happening across Cumbria.
“But we know there are people out there doing extraordinary things who haven’t been put forward yet, and we didn’t want a deadline to be the reason they miss out on being seen. So we’re giving everyone two more weeks.”
For those eager to catch a sneak peek at this year’s standout entries, organisers are keeping their cards close to their chest. Not even the judges have laid eyes on the 2026 submissions yet.
The awards run a strict two-stage judging process:
• Stage one: Once entries close, judges have one week to score their top three in each category to establish the official shortlist.
• Stage two: Shortlisted finalists submit video testimonies, which the judging panel then review and debate before selecting the final winners.
A unique feature of the Diverse Cumbria Awards is that the judging panel is made up entirely of previous winners.
Organisers deliberately avoid inviting celebrities, public figures or high-profile business leaders to sit on the panel, believing that people working on the front line of inclusion every day are best placed to recognise the achievements of the next generation of winners.
To maintain the magic of the big night, the winners will remain a closely guarded secret until they are announced live on stage.
Over the event’s eight-year history, past nominees and winners have shared the same sentiment: simply being recognised is a huge moment, and the shock on the night makes it extra special.
How to get involved
Organisers are urging people to think broadly about who deserves recognition. The awards celebrate anyone who works to make Cumbria a more welcoming, inclusive, and accepting place to live and work.
Submitting a nomination takes just a few minutes, is completely free, and can be completed online with a short summary of 200 to 400 words. Self-nominations are also welcomed.
Key Event Info
• Nomination Deadline: 5pm, Friday July 31
• Awards Night: Saturday September 26 at Carlisle Racecourse
• Categories: Business Champion, Diversity Event, Educational Champion, Organisation Champion, Positive Role Model, Positive Young Person, Public Sector Champion, Volunteer Champion
• How to Nominate: Visit diversecumbriaawards.co.uk/nominations/
