STAFF in Basingstoke's flagship Festival Place shopping centre will this weekend be encouraging shoppers to nominate community heroes and local groups for some prestigious awards.

With less than two weeks to go until the official deadline for nominations for the second annual A Place to be Proud of Awards, now is the time to get involved.

To this end, Festival Place staff will be out in force on Saturday to encourage people to submit entries.

Shopping centre staff will be giving out entry guidelines and forms from 10am to 4pm in Porchester Square, outside Marks & Spencer in Festival Place.

The special awards, which were held for the first time last year and were hosted by GMTV's Dr Hilary Jones, recognise and celebrate individual and collective excellence across the borough.

Jane Stewart, marketing manager at Festival Place, said: "This year we have added new categories to the awards, including People of Our Time, Business and the Environment and Business in the Community.

"We are looking for the contributions that are made by individuals, groups, organisations, places and initiatives that make our borough a place to be proud of."

This year's event is again being organised by Gazette Newspapers, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Festival Place and the Local Strategic Partnership.

The deadline for nominations is April 15 and the awards ceremony will be held in Festival Place on Tuesday, June 7.

Encouraging people to submit nominations, Ms Stewart said: "It is very easy to nominate someone for an award.

"This year we have guidelines to help people make their submissions, so they can understand exactly what the judges are looking for.

"Basingstoke and Deane has a huge amount to offer. We have got some fantastic people and places, and there are some very good initiatives that maybe not everybody knows about.

"The awards are a way for us to share this with everyone and to recognise them."