IN this special year of our 275th anniversary the Journal is launching an awards scheme to pay tribute to the unsung heroes and heroines of our circulation area.

In association with Spire FM, we are aiming to celebrate our birthday by running the Journal People Awards, in which we will invite readers and local companies, schools, clubs and other organisations to nominate outstanding men, women, teenagers and children from the community who they feel deserve public recognition.

The awards will cover people of all ages and from all walks of life. We want you to nominate people who have shown courage and determination, those who have turned tragedy into triumph or beaten the odds to overcome adversity.

We want nominations, too, for people you feel have made significant contributions to civic and community life and volunteers who have done stalwart work for good causes.

We also want to honour special teachers, doctors and nurses and others in the caring services - and heroes of the police, fire and ambulance services.

And we want to give proper recognition to the too-often forgotten contributions of the young people of our area, children and teenagers who perform selfless acts - such as looking after a disabled parent, running errands for an elderly neighbour or helping out at school or their youth club.

We also want you to nominate, of course, children of special courage and those who have performed inspirational feats or achieved something special.

Tell us as well about local captains of industry you particularly admire, people who have made important inventions and innovation and those who have achieved in the worlds of science and the arts.

In the coming weeks we will be booking a local venue for a grand presentation night later in the year at which all the winners will receive their trophies and other prizes.

Now take a look right for details of how you can enter your chosen hero.