Wakefield 'Love Where You Live' Awards: Here are the winners at the 2023 ceremony

Following deliberations over the nominees, WDH turned the final decision over to the public who voted in their thousands to crown their 2023 winners, ranging from volunteers who champion inclusivity for children with special needs and disabilities, to a young achiever who has gone outside of his comfort zone to provide joy within his community.

The event, sponsored by grounds maintenance providers Tivoli, was held at Burntwood Court Hotel in Brierley and celebrated local community heroes who make the area a better place to live.

More than 200 nominations were whittled down to 29 finalists who have made outstanding contributions to their local communities over the past 12 months.

Winner of the community group award, Airedale Baby and Children’s Bank, has worked tirelessly over the past few years to help dozens of families with essential items to make sure that no child within their community goes without.Mel Jackson, chair of Airedale Baby and Children’s Bank, said: “We are so very proud to have been chosen as a winner and would like to thank everyone who took time to vote for us, we truly appreciate it.

“We would like to congratulate everyone else who was nominated in our category, and especially those who got through to the finals.

"Every single group deserved to be there, and we feel very lucky to work alongside some fantastic other local groups, which enables us all to help more families across the Wakefield district.

“We had an absolutely amazing night and would like to thank WDH for putting on such a brilliant event.”

WDH’s chief executive Andy Wallhead added: "Each year our ‘Love Where You Live’ Awards get bigger and better.

"This year we smashed through the 200 nominations mark for the first time ever and that just shows how much incredible work these groups and individuals are doing to make Wakefield a wonderful place to live.

“Our grand final event was once again a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all the time and dedication people have put in over the years to give back to their communities.

"We hope that the prize money they receive, thanks to our event sponsors Tivoli, will help them to continue the great work within their communities.”

Here is the full list of this year’s winners:

Community Group: Airedale Baby and Children’s Bank.

Working with Older People: Senior Citizens’ Support Group.

Digital in the Community: Ossett Through the Ages.

Community Champion: Dean Darley.

Arts and Culture: Friarwood Festival.

Young Achiever: Billy Hall.

Best Garden: John Hawes.

Working with Young People: Parents of Unique Children (POUCH).

To learn more about the winners and nominees in this year’s awards, visit the Love Where You Live website: https://www.lovewhereyouliveawards.co.uk:1443/

Nominations for the 2024 Love Where You Live Awards will open next summer.