TIME is quickly running out for communities throughout the county to enter the 2007 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Community Life Awards. Leaflets were sent out to the county s villages, market towns, community groups, community buildings and pubs back

TIME is quickly running out for communities throughout the county to enter the 2007 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Community Life Awards.

Leaflets were sent out to the county's villages, market towns, community groups, community buildings and pubs back in February.

And since then The Hunts Post has been promoting the awards to Huntingdonshire.

However, while many groups have put together their entries, there some great community projects and personalities that could miss out on an opportunity for recognition and a cash prize.

The deadline for the awards, which are organised by Cambridgeshire ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) with sponsorship provided by Calor in association with Archant, publisher of The Hunts Post and others, is Saturday, June 30.

So to make sure you do not miss out, here is what the awards are all about and what you have to do:

The awards fall into three different areas:

The Cambridgeshire Volunteer Awards, sponsored by Cambridgeshire County Council, are a chance to nominate those local heroes and unsung volunteers for their outstanding contribution to community life. The awards are a symbol of the county's appreciation of individual voluntary effort.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Village of the Year award, sponsored by Calor, recognises community spirit and achievement at a village level. The prize is £1,000 for the village to spend however it wishes. The winning village will have the added honour of being nominated to go forward and represent Cambridgeshire in the Calor Village of the Year for England competition.

Aspects of Community Life, sponsored by Archant, publisher of The Hunts Post, and other local businesses, will give community groups and locally-run facilities recognition for the positive impact they have on different aspects of community life. Winners will benefit from cash awards of between £200 and £500. The categories available for entries are: Children and Young People in the Community; Older People in the Community; Environment and the Community; Heritage in the Community; Enterprise in the Community; Learning in the Community; Community Pub of the Year; and Community Building of the Year.

Alison Brown, awards co-ordinator, said: "I want to encourage as many communities as possible to get involved in these awards. Entering can be a very positive activity for a community because often they don't realise just how much they've got going on until they actually collect the information together.

"The closing date is approaching, but there is still plenty of time for communities to enter if they act now."

INFORMATION: Visit the awards website at www.communitylifeawards.org.uk. All the guidelines and entry/nomination forms can be downloaded from there. You can also request an entry pack by calling the Community Life Awards co-ordinators, Alison Brown on 01353 865029, or Julie Weekes on 01353 865032.

Winners will be announced and the awards dinner on September 4 at the Burgess Civic Hall in St Ives.