Celebrating everyone from grandparents and neighbours to community champions and teachers, the awards’ aim is to mark some of the wonderful day-to-day activities and achievements of Islanders who help make Jersey such a special place to live.

And in order to keep the community at the heart of the awards, Islanders will be asked to nominate potential winners and be involved in the voting and judging, via the newspaper and online.

2. Neighbour of the Year

The award:

THE type of neighbours you have can really make a difference.

This award could be for someone who has done anything from the extraordinary to the very simple, or someone who has cared for their neighbours, helped them keep their neighbourhood safe or simply made a positive difference in their community.

You could be an elderly pensioner, living alone, who is reassured by the fact you have a reliable and trustworthy neighbour close by.

Or you might have a very understanding neighbour who is happy to tolerate the busy family home in which you live.

No matter where we live in Jersey, we live in a neighbourhood and the people at the heart of those communities should be celebrated.

The sponsor:

OPERATING in Jersey since 2001 under the ownership and directorship of Margaret Thompson, Thompson Estates has rapidly grown to become one of the Island’s leading estate agents.

Within five years the company had already tripled in size and moved to its prominent King Street offices.

Now employing 21 people, the company is proud of its workforce, who, it says, ‘promote and passionately protect our highly respected brand’.

Being an estate agent, Thompson Estates is perfectly placed to partner with the JEP on the Neighbour of the Year award.

WHY THESE AWARDS?

‘The community is very important. When I started Thompson Estates I felt it was very important to give something back,’ said Mrs Thompson.

‘This is an opportunity to recognise the efforts that the people of Jersey give towards making the community what it is. Jersey, I find, is a very very caring community.

‘I love Jersey and I am so grateful to be part of the community and to live in Jersey we are so privileged.

‘Sometimes, I think, we forget how lucky we are. Where else in the world can we live at such ease?’

WHY THIS CATEGORY?

‘We chose Neighbour of the Year because we do come into contact with a lot of neighbours, and that is very reassuring.

‘We have sold houses from first time buyers to the elderly and I can say that I have seen neighbours that have popped in with dinners for elderly neighbours or popped to the shops for them.

‘It’s so important to have a neighbour who is concerned about their neighbours.’

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE WINNER?

‘I think the community in Jersey is very special.

‘It’s not too big so that we know the members of our community and neighbours are key to that.

‘As you go through life, you start with nothing.

‘We are privileged to have such a good standard of living in Jersey and the most important lesson is that life is about giving.

‘You have to remember that we are here to learn how to live together happily and I think giving is very much part of that.

‘We will be looking for any contribution, gesture or help a neighbour gives, no matter what size.’

• Ambassador of the Year
• Volunteer/Fundraiser of the Year
• Grandparent(s) of the Year
• Community Champion(s) of the Year
• Environmentalist(s) of the Year
• Jersey Angel of the Year
• Teacher of the Year
• Unsung Sporting Hero of the Year
• Customer Service Employee of the Year
• Young Star of the Year
• Neighbour of the Year
• and Inspirational Leader of the Year.[/breakout]

We are searching for the Islanders who make our community so special.

There are many things which contribute to make Jersey such a wonderful place to call home, from the fabulous beaches and cliff-path walks to our safe and healthy environment. They all play their part.

But above all, it is the amazing people in our community who are responsible for making this small rock, measuring just nine miles by five, stand out as such a wonderful place to live.

And that is why, as the JEP celebrates its 125th anniversary, we feel it is time to honour Islanders who make a difference, many of whom devote hours every day to make this a better place.

Often the achievements of these community heroes go unrecognised, their efforts beneath the radar of most.

Being part of that community means that the Jersey Evening Post and, more importantly, its readers, are best placed to find and honour these selfless Islanders.

It is our readers who will nominate worthy individuals and it is our readers who will be the judging panel, making the Pride of Jersey Awards unlike any others.

From grandparents and neighbours to community champions and teachers, we want to celebrate all aspects of life in the Island.

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be featuring each of our 12 categories in detail, speaking to 12 local businesses who have teamed up with us to become our awards’ partners and, most importantly, explaining how people can start voting.

These awards will become an annual celebration of those who bind our community together and we are extremely proud to be in a position, after tewelve-and-a-half decades of serving this Island, to be launching the Pride of Jersey Awards.