Nominations officially open for the 2011 Canterbury & District Sports Awards in association with Matt Fiddes Martial Arts Kent at a launch to be staged at Herons Leisure Centre in Herne Bay on Friday.

Olympic rowing hopeful Dan Ritchie, from Herne Bay, who won a silver medal as part of the GB men’s eight at the recent world championships in Slovenia, will be there to help introduce the awards, which are organised by Active Canterbury.

However, the awards are not only about top level athletes, they are just as much about those who spend hours helping local sport and have a positive impact on their community.

Canterbury City Council’s sports development officer Giles Seaford said: "If anyone knows of someone who deserves to be recognised for their achievements in sport, whether it’s a performer, coach, club or team, now is their chance to get in touch and nominate them. We want to hear about all the deserving people who make sport happen.

"People in sport are generally very modest and are reluctant to shout about their achievements, so it needs those around them to acknowledge all they do."

Now in their fourth year, the awards are run in association with Matt Fiddes Martial Arts Kent, with McDonald’s, Herne Bay Mobility and the Kentish Gazette sponsoring individual and group awards.

The awards ceremony, which will see eight winners unveiled, takes place at the University of Kent on Friday, November 18 and will be presented by Sky Sports reporter and former Kent cricketer Dave Fulton.

You can nominate and find a full list of categories by visiting www.activecanterbury.org

Nominations must be in before Friday, October 14.

Caption: International tenpin bowler Hannah Frost, who was last year's Junior Performer of the Year