SPONSORSHIP for this year's Cumbria Diversity Awards will be partly met by BAE systems of Barrow.

The awards which are back on again after the Covid break has eight categories this year covering business, education, volunteering and positive role models with more woman candidate than ever before.

The awards aim to recognise equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout the county.

Ben Vollans, the events production manager, for this year's awards is looking forward to the evening. He said: "The Diverse Cumbria Awards were set up back in 2016 to celebrate, award, and recognise the amazing work that is being done in the county in relation to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.

"Most people working in this field never get any recognition for the work they do and I felt it was important to change this as I know first hand how hard these people work. All our nominations come in from the public then go to a panel of judges which is made up of the previous year's winners.

"They then shortlist these nominations and from there make a final decision based off a short video clip from each nomination showcasing their work in their own words."

Among this year's categories that have been announced include - Business Champion, which has five nominations including James Dickaty who is Sellafield's BAME network co-chairman.

The Educational Champion has three nominations including Linne Thornton, from Cumbria Academy for Autism. Event of the year has three nominations including, Cumbria International Women's Day 2021.

Organization of the year including, Anti-Racist Cumbria.

Other categories include Positive Role Model of the year with four nominations who are all women.

Along with public sector champion, volunteer champion, and positive young person of the year.

Ben Vollans, the event's production manager thanked the Cumbrian companies sponsoring this year's event: He said "The awards are supported and sponsored by some big businesses and public sector organizations around the county including Sellafield, North Cumbria NHS, Northern Rail, PCC for Cumbria, Cumbria's LEP, BAE Systems, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, and Reays Coaches and Border television. The second round of judging hasn't happened yet and the winners then don't get announced until the evening.

The event will take place this year at the Halston Hotel in Carlisle on the 24th September at half past six.