Residents are set to be recognised for their care, thought and dedication during the pandemic – with their very own awards.

People of Kells, Woodhouse and Greenbank are preparing to take a bow, as neighbours begin nominating each and every caring soul in the area worthy of some special praise.

Whitehaven Town Councillors Chris Hayes and John Kane, with the help of Cumbria County Councillor Emma Williamson, came up with the idea of a ward-wide awards after seeing the fantastic work carried out within the community during lockdown and beyond.

And with more than 3,000 prescriptions and food parcels delivered by residents, and many still putting time aside to help the vulnerable and elderly in the area, it’s no surprise the councillors want to spread some gratitude and appreciation.

“During Covid, the residents have been absolutely amazing,” Coun Hayes said.

“So many people have gone above and beyond, so we wanted to say thank you and give them the praise they deserve.

“I mean, 3,000 deliveries – that is one hell of an achievement!”

It’s unknown how often the awards will be held, but with the number of nominations already coming in, Coun Hayes is looking forward to the endless months of applause coming to his community.

He said: “Some people have joked and said it's just about the councillors wanting more praise, but it's entirely about the residents.

"We want to thank as many people as we can in this more special and personal way, so it's been amazing to see so many people already sending nominations in and sharing all the good things people in the area have done to help others."

He added: "We've put out an appeal for people to start knitting poppies for Remembrance Day, and that's another thing people have really got on-board with.

"People have been saying, 'I haven't knitted in years but this has helped me get back into it', and it's so nice to hear that doing their bit has helped give them a boost, too."

Everyone in the area is invited to nominate their personal Kells, Woodhouse and Greenbank heroes, and while there's no set date for when the awards will be dished out, a nomination alone will be plenty to keep everyone smiling.