Liverpool entertainer Ricky Tomlinson is urging people to nominate their friends, family and neighbours in the city’s Older People’s Awards.
For the second year running 13 organisations and Liverpool City Council have come together to sponsor the older persons awards and celebrate the achievements of people over the age of 65 in Liverpool.
The organisations involved are Liverpool Mutual Homes, Housing Maintenance Solutions, South Liverpool Homes, Plus Dane, Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust, Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, Your Housing Group, Local Solutions, Regenda, Liverpool Housing Trust, Riverside ECHG, Home Carers Liverpool and The Print Rooms.
Famous for his performances in hit shows such as The Royle Family and Cracker, Ricky has given his support to the awards and will host the event at the Devonshire House Hotel, Edge Lane.
The Greenroom cabaret club he runs is also sponsoring a new category called The Smile Award that will recognise a special character who goes the extra mile to help others and always cheers people up.
Other awards will be given to those who share their skills to boost the community, the most active person in the city, a lifelong learning award and awards for the best initiative and the outstanding agency that helps older people.
The event will also celebrate Liverpool’s best neighbour, volunteer, unpaid carer and active person while the independent panel of judges will present a special award.
There will be three awards in each of the individual categories of £100, £50 and £25 respectively.
The top three in the agency and initiative awards will pick up £500, £250 and £125.
Ricky Tomlinson said: “Last year was the first time the older people awards were held and it was a great celebration and a resounding success so much so that we’re doing it again and going to make it even bigger and better.
“My cabaret club is sponsoring a new category called The Smile Award because a sense of humour and a bit of fun makes a massive difference to people’s lives and Liverpool has some of the best characters in the world.
“You know who deserves to win so get those applications in!”
Liverpool City Council’s Mayoral Lead for Older People, Gerard Woodhouse, said: “Community spirit in Liverpool is what sets the city apart in many respects and without doubt older people lead the way.
“It was clear from last year’s nominations that Liverpool’s older people and the agencies that help them are doing some incredible things, proving age is no barrier to enjoying active lives.”
Director of Housing and Customer Service at LMH, Angela Forshaw, said: “Day in, day out we work with older people across the city and they never fail to amaze with their energy, selflessness and incredible stories and these are the type of people we want to recognise with awards.
“People can enter themselves or nominate someone else or an agency that helps older people on a daily basis with its service or initiatives.”
The award categories in full are:
• The outstanding neighbour
• The outstanding volunteer
• The outstanding active person
• The outstanding skilled / interesting person
• The outstanding unpaid carer
• The outstanding lifelong learning award
• The outstanding older person initiative
• The outstanding older person agency
• The smile award
• Special judge’s awards
Taking place at in September, people have until 25 July to enter.
People can download application forms at liverpoolmutualhomes.org/olderpeople pick them up from LMH offices or freephone 0300 123 2300 from a mobile or 0800 678 1894 from a landline.
