Three lucky individuals will each be walking away from the Thanet Community Awards with a cheque for £500 in their pockets.

And for organiser Karen Brinkman of the Charity Team it is this celebration of the work and achievements of individual volunteers that makes the awards so special.

She said: “It almost goes without saying that charities and the wider community would struggle to function without the hard work of dedicated volunteers. Just look at organisations like park runs, food banks, the scouts or the RNLI.

“But all too often individuals’ work on behalf of their communities can go overlooked as we all focus on the greater good. So everybody involved with these awards is really excited about their recognition and celebration of volunteers’ achievements.

“And nice as it can be to have a beautiful trophy to display on your mantelpiece, the three winners of the volunteer awards will each receive £500. And it will be up to them to do whatever they want with that money.”

You can vote for a volunteer – or even a team of volunteers – who you think deserves a pat on the back for their contribution to your community at thanetcommunityawards.co.uk.

The deadline for nominations is noon on November 27, and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in January.

The awards, which are open to good causes, parent-teacher associations and individual volunteers making a difference to the community in Thanet, are run by a partnership comprising offshore wind farm London Array, Westwood Cross and the KM Charity Team.

Westwood Cross, London Array and the Thanet Extra will each present a cheque to a chosen charity for £2,000, and the shopping centre will also champion its winner over a 12-month period.

Another £4,000 will be shared among three runner-up charities and the three individual volunteer winners.

The deadline for nominations is noon on November 27, and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in January.

To find out more about the awards, contact Karen Brinkman at the KM Charity Team on 0844 264 0291 or at kbrinkman@thekmgroup.co.uk.