The final batch of selfless heroes have been recognised with nominations for the Kent Charity Awards.

The latest announced this week, include charities and volunteers from across the county who go the extra mile to help others.

The awards, launched last year, were founded by event managers Jo Hage and Sarah MacDonald, from Rise Communications, who felt a county-wide scheme to honour the work of charities and voluntary groups was needed.

Entry to this year’s awards is now closed and has attracted more than 80 entries.

There are seven awards up for grabs including Kent Volunteer of the Year and Kent Trustee of the Year.

The other five categories recognise charities and organisations.

Judges, made up of representatives from the sponsors, will narrow down the list to 21 finalists.

A gala evening will be held at Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone in March, where the category champions and overall Charity of the Year will be crowned.

Last year, the top spot was claimed by Kent Search and Rescue, a voluntary organisation which helps in police searches for missing people.

The awards are sponsored by Diggerland, Furley Page, Kent County Council, Kent Reliance, KM Media Group, Kreston Reeves, Medway Council, MidKent College and Southeastern.

Beanstalk is hoping to claim the title of Children's Charity of the Year, for its work in providing one-to-one literacy support to youngsters struggling with reading and confidence. There are more than 300 volunteers for the charity in Kent.

Find a Voice helps and supports people of all ages with speech, language and communication difficulties. They are hoping to bag the award for Charity of the Year.

Time to Give develops and delivers high impact volunteer-led solutions to some of the most difficult challenges facing individuals and their communities today. It's hoping to win the community and environment award.

The Urban Blue Bus is placed in Maidstone on Saturday nights and deals with any medical situation in the town from alcohol and substance misuse to charity abuse. The group put itself forward for the voluntary, community and environment awards.

Age UK based in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge is hoping to claim the Care Charity of the Year title for helping older people in the community to remain as independent as possible.

Rochester-based Share a Star supports seriously unwell children and young people up to the age of 21. It's hoping to win Children's Charity of the Year.

Canterbury Rugby Football Club is run by over 70 volunteers who give up their time running training groups for children of all ages and abilities. They're hoping to win the voluntary category at this year's awards.

Computers 4 Africa is hoping to win the environment or community section of the awards for it's work in delivering IT education to millions of children in Africa.

Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI) is based in Canterbury and aims to improve the care of patients with pulmonary vascular disease by raising awareness and encouraging the development of new medicines. It's hoping to win Charity of the Year.

Nicola Scott is a volunteer for the Back up Trust - a charity that inspires independence to anyone affected by spinal cord injury. She was nominated for Volunteer of the Year.

Also recognised for the same category, Victoria Coleman works at the Imagination Library which provides pre-school aged children with a free hardcover book every month from birth to the age of five. She's said to be passionate and committed for encouraging children to enjoy books and goes above and beyond her volunteering duties.

Terry Kemp has been nominated for Trustee of the Year for his work for the Faversham-based animal charity Happy Endings Rescue. He is dedicated to helping and saving animals in need and his nominator said he is an "inspirational leader and true ambassador".

John Ranger from Second Chance Animal Rescue, based in Swanley, has been nominated for Trustee of the Year for working seven days a week and inspiring other people to become active volunteers.

Rita Couzins, also nominated for the same category, works tirelessly raising money for the Sheerness-based Harmony Therapy Trust which offers free therapies to people with serious illnesses. The person who nominated her said she has a "heart of gold".