REALITY TV vicar the Rev Jamie Allen has launched a county-wide search to find Wiltshire's unsung heroes.

A month-long campaign to collect nominations for the 2003 People of Wiltshire Awards began on Monday, with people urged to put forward those they think show good citizenship and community involvement.

The awards, held for the first time last year, were due to run every two years but were so successful they have become an annual event. Among the businesses and organisations supporting the awards is Newsquest Wiltshire, publisher of the Wiltshire Times.

Mr Allen, rector of Seend, Bulkington and Poulshot, and the focus of the BBC2 documentary A Country Parish, said: "The people we celebrate with these awards are the very foundation stones, the building blocks of our communities and they deserve our recognition."

There are six award categories. They are: youth award, sponsored by Nationwide Building Society; good neighbour award, sponsored by Virgin Mobile; carer in the community award, sponsored by The Orders of St John Care Trust; environment award, sponsored by Hills Waste; employer of the year award, sponsored by Wiltshire Highways Partnership and sporting success award, sponsored by Persimmon Homes.

Individual winners will receive £500 and a trophy. The winner of the employer of the year award will receive £500 of advertising in the Newsquest publication of their choice.

Councillor Carole Soden, chairman of Wiltshire County Council, said last year the awards recognised some exceptional work in the community.

"This initiative is a wonderful opportunity for us to let everyone know that the help these people give to their neighbours, employees and environment is greatly appreciated," she said.

Among last year's winners was sporting success Norman Butler of Swindon, who rowed 3,100 miles across the Atlantic.

The employer of the year award went to hairdresser Gary Hatto and the youth award was won by Tom Woolford, of Wilt-shire's Youth Assembly.

Nomination forms are available from the Wiltshire Times office in Duke Street, Trow-bridge, and our sister paper the Gazette and Herald's offices in Devizes and Chippenham, along with doctor's surgeries, pharmacies, opticians, dentists, youth centres and leisure centres.

Application forms are also available online - click here

Awards are open to people who live in Wiltshire. Forms must be returned to Wiltshire County Council by April 25. They will be presented at a ceremony at the Neeld Hall, Chippenham, on June 30.

Other supporters of the awards are: the Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce; Wiltshire Constabulary; Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority; Wiltshire Fire Brigade; Agenda 21; Community First; BBC Radio Wiltshire and BBC Radio Swindon; the Wiltshire & Swindon Sports Partnership; and CSV.