Nominations for #DEHA2027 open 1 February 2027Nominations open 1 February 2027

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#DEHA2027 · The Awards

15 awards celebrating Dorset’s heroes

Fifteen awards recognising role models across business, community and academia, chosen by the public and verified by an independent jury.

See the categoriesQuestions answered

The road to #DEHA2027

From nomination to the stage in six steps

Every winner is nominated by the community, backed by a public vote and verified by an independent jury.

  1. Open nowNow

    Partners join

    Sponsorship packages from £200 to £3,500.

    See packages
  2. 1 Feb – 31 Mar 2027

    Nominations

    Anyone can nominate a hero in one of 15 categories.

    Get a reminder
  3. April 2027

    Shortlisting

    Eligibility checked; finalists announced for each category.

  4. 10 May – 13 Jun 2027

    Public vote

    One verified vote per person, per category.

  5. June – July 2027

    Independent jury

    Judges score every finalist against four criteria.

  6. Sat 18 Sep 2027

    Awards night

    Red carpet, gala dinner, cultural showcase and ceremony.

The categories

15 awards for 2027

Categories announced before nominations open

The 15 categories for 2027 will be published here ahead of nominations opening. Sign up and we’ll let you know.

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For businesses

Sponsor a category

Present your category’s award on stage, with four VIP tickets and twelve months of promotion, for £1,500. 15 of 15 available.

Award Sponsor package

A fair, transparent process

Chosen by the public. Verified by an independent jury.

Jurors declare any conflict of interest before scoring and step aside from categories where they know a nominee. Final results combine the jury’s scores with the public vote.

How judging works

  • Impact

    What measurable or meaningful difference has the nominee made?

  • Contribution

    How significant and sustained is their contribution in Dorset?

  • Inspiration

    Do they motivate others through leadership, service or excellence?

  • Sustainability

    Is their impact likely to endure and keep benefiting communities?

Questions answered

How the Awards work

When can I nominate someone?

Nominations for #DEHA2027 are open from 1 February to 31 March 2027. Sign up for updates and we’ll email you when they open.

Who can make a nomination?

Anyone can nominate a hero in one of our 15 categories.

What happens after a nomination?

We check each nomination’s eligibility in April 2027 and announce the finalists in each category. The nominee is contacted before anything about them is published.

How does the public vote work?

Public voting runs from 10 May to 13 June 2027. Each person can vote once per category, confirmed by email.

How are the winners chosen?

An independent jury scores every finalist on impact, contribution, inspiration and sustainability. The jury’s scores are combined with the public vote. Jurors declare any conflict of interest and step aside from categories where they know a nominee.

When are the winners announced?

Winners are revealed on stage at the Awards ceremony on Saturday 18 September 2027 at Lighthouse, Poole.

Can my organisation sponsor a category?

Yes. Award Sponsors present their category’s award on the night and receive twelve months of promotion. See the sponsorship page for details.

Nominate a hero

Know someone who deserves to be here?

Nominations open on 1 February 2027. Get a reminder and be ready to put forward the people who make Dorset stronger.

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