The Civic Award Scheme was initiated by Wokingham Town Council in 1997 for the purposes of recognising exceptional contributions to community life by people in our town.
Each year, the Town Council looks for people who deserve recognition for their outstanding achievements and support to others in Wokingham.
This is your opportunity to give something back to those who care.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for Wokingham Town people from all parts of our community and of all ages, who have made an exceptional contribution to our town.
We are looking for those who have:
- Worked to make Wokingham a truly welcoming and inclusive town
- Provided exceptional service to their family or community
- Added to the cultural life of the town
- Found ways of making us a more environmentally friendly and sustainable town
Some examples may include:
- Making Wokingham a better place to live and work, and ensuring that the benefits of the town are open to all
- Building bridges between different parts of the community and increasing tolerance and understanding
- Caring for the wellbeing and safety of others and enhancing the wellbeing and safety of those who live in the town
- Enhancing the education and development of young people and children
- Making us a more environmentally friendly town
- Helping others to enjoy the history and heritage of the town
- Enhancing and increasing access to and participation in arts, including music and creative leisure activities
- Enhancing and increasing access to and participation in sport, physical activity and recreational pursuits
The award process and ceremony
The nomination process is open from May to November each year.
An on-line nomination form is required to be completed for each individual who is being recommended for an award. Two people are required to make a nomination, and each is required to complete the on-line form below, separately.
The nominations will be judged in December, by a selection panel of judges which include representatives from the community, members of Wokingham Town Council’s Civic Committee and the High Steward of Wokingham.
Successful nominees will be notified in late December and they will be invited to an Awards Ceremony at Wokingham’s Town Hall held in January. The Town Mayor will present the winners with an award which will be engraved with their name. Photographs will be taken during the evening.
The people recommending successful candidates will also be invited to the ceremony and one person will be asked to give a citation to share why they nominated the individual.
Please note: if no nominations are received or if it is decided that no nominees are eligible for a civic award then a ceremony will not be held.
A ceremony will only be held for two or more successful nominees. If there is only one successful nominee, their civic award will be presented and they will be invited to attend the following year’s ceremony.
Criteria for nominations
- Nominees for a Civic Award may be of any age but they should reside in the town of Wokingham, or their voluntary work should be for an individual or organisation based within the town
- Under 18s may be nominated for a Young Persons Award
- The voluntary work should have been carried out for a minimum of 3 years (unless there are exceptional circumstances), and not connected to their employment
- If under 18s are nominated, the judging panel may consider a reduced length of time for their contributions
- Whilst it is acceptable for more than one individual from the same organisation to be nominated for a Civic Award, any nominees should be individuals whose voluntary work is over and above other members within the organisation
- The voluntary work should be current and been carried out in recent years; it will not be possible to recognise historical achievements
- Couples may be nominated on one form (if successful, they will each receive an award)
- Wokingham Town Councillors, their employees and previous winners are not eligible
- A previous recipient of a civic award can be re-considered after a five-year period, provided their latest nomination is for a substantially different reason than for the original award
- Town Councillors should not nominate individuals; requests should be submitted by members of the community only
- Nominations will not be accepted from family members unless there are exceptional circumstances.
- The judges’ decisions are final
Submitting a nomination
Before completing the form, please note the following:
- The information you provide will form the basis on which the nominee is judged so please provide as much information as possible about why the individual is being nominated, including examples
- We strongly recommend that you are very careful about sharing this information with any friends and family of the nominee to avoid any disappointment should the nomination be unsuccessful
- All nominations must be made using the online Civic Award Nomination Form
Please remember two people are required to make each nomination and each nominee is required to complete this on-line form separately.
If it is not possible for you to complete a nomination in this way, please contact the Civic Officer on 0118 974 0882 to discuss. Or email – [email protected]
The deadline for applications for the 2025-26 Civic Awards will be announced later in the year. No applications will be accepted after the closing date.
