The 30 people, clubs and businesses shortlisted for the 2026 Celebrating Rushcliffe Awards. Winners are named at Rushcliffe Arena on Thursday 10 December.

Thirty people, groups and businesses from across the borough are on the shortlist for this year’s Celebrating Rushcliffe Awards.

Rushcliffe Borough Council published the shortlist on 26 October. There are three names in each of ten categories. The council says it received hundreds of nominations.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Rushcliffe Arena in West Bridgford on Thursday 10 December. A Lord-Lieutenant Award will also be presented on the night. Parkwood Leisure is the lead sponsor for the third year running.

The shortlist

Award Shortlisted
Business of the Year One More Chapter, Radcliffe on Trent; Create! Art School, West Bridgford; Saunahood, Holme Pierrepont
Food and Drink Establishment of the Year Poppy and Pint, Lady Bay; The Plough, Hickling; The Atrium, Radcliffe on Trent
Environmental Award Victoria Repair Café, West Bridgford; Liz Burr, Bingham; Friends of Meadow Park, East Leake
Community Group of the Year Langar Cum Barnstone Community Hall; Keyworth District Community Concern (KDCC); Notts in Mind, West Bridgford
Volunteer of the Year Paul Heard, Cotgrave; Val Fisher, Bingham; Margaret Ferguson, Rushcliffe
Sports Club of the Year 4life Tri Club, East Leake; Rushcliffe Jiu Jitsu, West Bridgford; Notts Gymnastic Academy, West Bridgford
Sportsperson of the Year Kirstie Gordon, West Bridgford; Izzy Bramhall, Ruddington; Felix Boon, Bingham
Health and Wellbeing Award FarmEco Community Care Farm, Screveton; Rushcliffe Social Prescribing Community Hub, West Bridgford; Forget Me Notts, West Bridgford
Young Person or Group of the Year Lola Tompkin, Bingham; Megan Stacey, Ruddington; Ethan Scott, Carlton
Pride of Rushcliffe Award Dawn Whitmore-Kirby; Mary Foston; Duncan Collings

Names and places are as the council published them. It gave no place for the three Pride of Rushcliffe nominees.

Where the shortlist comes from

West Bridgford, including Lady Bay, has nine of the 30 entries. The rest of the list reaches across the borough:

  • Bingham has four: Liz Burr, Val Fisher, Felix Boon and Lola Tompkin.
  • Radcliffe on Trent has two businesses, One More Chapter and The Atrium.
  • Ruddington has two: Izzy Bramhall and Megan Stacey.
  • East Leake has two: Friends of Meadow Park and 4life Tri Club.
  • Hickling, Screveton, Holme Pierrepont, Langar, Cotgrave and Keyworth have one each.
  • One young nominee, Ethan Scott, is listed as from Carlton, which is in Gedling borough rather than Rushcliffe.

Friends of Meadow Park’s nomination follows the council’s decision this month to declare Meadow Park in East Leake a local nature reserve.

What the council said

Cllr Jonathan Wheeler, the council’s cabinet member for leisure and wellbeing, said the judges had “a challenging task in selecting this year’s shortlist”.

“Congratulations to everyone who has made this year’s shortlist,” he said. “We can’t wait to meet these remarkable local heroes at our awards ceremony in December.”

Adam Groves, area manager for Parkwood Leisure, said the evening was “a fantastic opportunity to recognise people across the borough who make a real difference in their local communities”.

What it means for you

  • Nominations are closed. This is the final shortlist, chosen by the judges. There is no public vote mentioned in the council’s announcement.
  • The winners are announced on the night, Thursday 10 December, at Rushcliffe Arena.
  • We will publish the winners after the ceremony.