A glittering awards ceremony will be held in Huddersfield next week to celebrate the town’s African and Caribbean communities.
Those in the running at the inaugural Huddersfield Black Community Awards include stars from the worlds of sport, the arts and education.
And there is also a special lifetime achievement award for a person who has created positive changes in peoples’ lives across Huddersfield, leaving a positive legacy for future generations.
HBC became established after a small group of concerned black professionals, headed by community development worker and event organiser Dominic Pinnock, investigated the overwhelming amount of evidence highlighting that African and Caribbean young people across the UK generally tend not to achieve as well as other groups in education and employment.
Evidence also showed they are disadvantaged economically in terms of business and property ownership, and are more likely to live in socially deprived areas with increased risk of feeling disenfranchised and disconnected from society.
But HBC conducted its own research and found there were many examples of achievement and successes within the African and Caribbean community.
And it decided to hold an up market event to help redress the balance and provide a ‘positive, inspiring and empowering vision for the future’.
The first HBC Awards will take place at the Cedar Court Hotel at Ainley Top, on Saturday, November 14.
The project has been backed by grants from the National Lottery and it is hoped it will become an annual event.
HBC distributed nomination boxes across Huddersfield and people had two months to nominate individuals or groups, and can now vote online to decide the final winner for each category.
Further details and a list of the chosen nominees can be found on the HBC website: www.hbcawards.squarespace.com
The awards event is ticket only, and they can be purchased at www.skiddle.com .
The awards cover 12 categories.
Nominations for the sport category are Jermaine McGillvary, Team Hanson, Cameron Jerome, Joy Cummings-Douglas, Chris Powell, Dennis Hall and Kiitson Fleary Gayle,
Nominations for the community award are Howard Belafonte, Peter Rowe, Johnny Flowers, Denzil Simpson, Dr Audrey Robinson-Maynard, Errol Brown, Morris Simpson and Milton Brown.
Nominations for the arts award are H.A.C.C.T (Huddersfield African Caribbean Cultural Trust), Suga Brown, Jamrock Productions (Angela Smith) and Reach Performing Arts Academy.
Nominations for the education award are New Directions College, Milton Brown, Andre Lawson, Diane Hall, Laura Pusey and Bestrain (Serena Johnson).
Nominations for the youth/young adult award are Benaiah Matheson, Jhovan Hanson, Paige Phillip, Reece Pinder, Shanta Pinnock and Lashaun Pryce.
Nominations for the change maker award are New Directions College, Kelvin Pusey, Howard Belafonte, Gordon Simpson, Diane Hall, Dominic Mills and Morris Simpson.
Nominations for the lifetime achievement award are Johnny Flowers, Dorothy Smith, Dr Audrey Robinson-Maynard, Miss Cynthia St. Louis and Donald Wong - Alias-Chin (The Photographer).
Nominations for the young black business person award are Beniah Matherson, Leanne Joseph, Gail Beckford, Jhovan Hanson and Andre Lawson.
Nominations for the black business category are Ashbrow Garage, RDT Cleaning, Mackinley’s -The African Caribbean Food Store, Discovery Bay, The C.I.T.P (The connoisseur’s independent trading post), Dominoes Hair Design, Chic Hair Salon, Hays Travel Consultant, Howe Harrison- Caribbean Cuisine, Dj Screens and Sons, Yardees - Caribbean Cuisine, Charmaine’s Caribbean Restaurant, Gravy’s - Caribbean Cuisine, The Harp and Cave Barbershop.
Nominations for the community group/organisation award are Jamaica National Council Huddersfield, New Directions College, H.A.C.C.T (Huddersfield African Caribbean Cultural Trust), Fresh Horizons, Harambee, B.E.E.T (Back in Education & Training), Women in Action, PassionRadiouk.com, Vibez Urban Online and Cycle of Life.
There is an open vote for the community radio DJ 2015 award.
And nominations for the best sound system award are Technics Worldbeat, Little Sample, Million Sound, Earthstrong Sound, City Links, Turbo Charge, Earth Rocker, Movements, Ras Amarick and Zion Inna-Vision.
